< Ezekiel 1 >
1 Now it came about in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, while I was by the river Chebar among those who had been made prisoners, that the heavens were made open and I saw visions of God.
And it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was in the midst of the exiles by the river Kebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw divine visions.
2 On the fifth day of the month, in the fifth year after King Jehoiachin had been made a prisoner,
On the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of the exile of king Jehoyachin,
3 The word of the Lord came to me, Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldaeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was on me there.
Came the word of the Lord expressly unto Ezekiel the son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Kebar; and there came upon him there the inspiration of the Lord.
4 And, looking, I saw a storm-wind coming out of the north, a great cloud with flames of fire coming after one another, and a bright light shining round about it and in the heart of it was something coloured like electrum.
And I saw, and behold, a storm-wind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a flaming fire, and a brightness was on it round about; and out of the midst of it was like the glitter of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
5 And in the heart of it were the forms of four living beings. And this was what they were like; they had the form of a man.
And out of the midst thereof [I saw] the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man.
6 And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings.
And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings.
7 And their feet were straight feet; and the under sides of their feet were like the feet of oxen; and they were shining like polished brass.
And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the glitter of burnished copper.
8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings; the four of them had faces on their four sides.
And hands of man [were visible] from beneath their wings on their four sides: and their faces and their wings [were alike] on all these four.
9 They went without turning, every one went straight forward.
Their wings were joined one to the other: they turned not about in their going; they went every one in the direction of one of their faces.
10 As for the form of their faces, they had the face of a man, and the four of them had the face of a lion on the right side, and the four of them had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four of them had the face of an eagle.
And the likeness of their faces was the face of a man; and the face of a lion, on the right side for all four of them; and the face of an ox on the left side for all four of them; and the face of an eagle for all four of them.
11 And their wings were separate at the top; two of the wings of every one were joined one to another, and two were covering their bodies.
Thus were their faces: and their wings were spread out upward; every one had two joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
12 Every one of them went straight forward; wherever the spirit was to go they went; they went on without turning.
And they went every one in the direction of one of his faces: whither the spirit was directed to go, they went; they turned not about in their going.
13 And between the living beings it was like burning coals of fire, as if flames were going one after the other between the living beings; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went thunder-flames.
As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like coals of fire, burning as with the appearance of torches; this [fire] it was which passed along between the living creatures: and a brightness was about the fire, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
14 And the living beings went out and came back as quickly as a thunder-flame.
And the living creatures ran backward and forward like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 Now while I was looking at the four living beings, I saw one wheel on the earth, by the side of the living beings, for the four of them.
And I looked on the living creatures, and, behold, there was one wheel upon the earth close by the living creatures, by their four front faces.
16 The form of the wheels and their work was like a beryl; the four of them had the same form and design, and they were like a wheel inside a wheel.
The appearance of the wheels and their work was like the color of a chrysolite; and all four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as though it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
17 The four of them went straight forward without turning to one side.
Toward their four sides they went in their going: they turned not round in their going.
18 And I saw that they had edges, and their edges, even of the four, were full of eyes round about.
As for their circumferences, they were so high that they excited fear: and their felloes were full of eyes round about on all these four.
19 And when the living beings went on, the wheels went by their side; and when the living beings were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
And when the living creatures went, the wheels went near to them: and when the living creatures lifted themselves up from the earth, the wheels lifted themselves up.
20 Wherever the spirit was to go they went; and the wheels were lifted up by their side: for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.
Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went; [for] thither was [their] spirit to go: and the wheels lifted themselves up at the same time with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
21 When these went on, the others went; and when these came to rest, the others came to rest; and when these were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up by their side: for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.
When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those lifted themselves up from the earth, the wheels lifted themselves up at the same time with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 And over the heads of the living beings there was the form of an arch, looking like ice, stretched out over their heads on high.
And the likeness of a vault was over the head of the living creatures, [shining] like the glitter of the purest crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.
23 Under the arch their wings were straight, one stretched out to another: every one had two wings covering their bodies on this side and two covering their bodies on that side.
And under the vault their wings were straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered them, and every one had two, which covered them, —[namely, ] their bodies.
24 And when they went, the sound of their wings was like the sound of great waters to my ears, like the voice of the Ruler of all, a sound like the rushing of an army: when they came to rest they let down their wings.
And I heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, when they went, the sound of [their] speech, as the noise of an army: when they stood still, they let down their wings.
25 And there was a voice from the top of the arch which was over their heads: when they came to rest they let down their wings.
And there was a voice from the vault that was over their head: when they stood still, they let down their wings.
26 And on the top of the arch which was over their heads was the form of a king's seat, like a sapphire stone; and on the form of the seat was the form of a man seated on it on high.
And above the vault that was over their head was like the appearance of a sapphire-stone, the likeness of a throne: and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
27 And I saw it coloured like electrum, with the look of fire in it and round it, going up from what seemed to be the middle of his body; and going down from what seemed to be the middle of his body I saw what was like fire, and there was a bright light shining round him.
And I saw as if it were the glitter of amber, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins upward; and from the appearance of his loins downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
28 Like the bow in the cloud on a day of rain, so was the light shining round him. And this is what the glory of the Lord was like. And when I saw it I went down on my face, and the voice of one talking came to my ears.
Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about: this was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard the voice of one that spoke.