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.
[I am] Ezekiel, a priest, the son of Buzi. When I was 30 years [old], I [living] among [Israeli] people who had been (exiled from/forced to leave) [and had come to Babylon]. I was living along the Kebar River/ [south of Babylon]. Almost five years after King Jehoiachin had been (exiled/forced to leave Judah), on the fifth day of the fourth [of that year, it was as though] the sky was opened and I saw visions from God. On that day,
2 On the fifth day of the month, in the fifth year after King Jehoiachin had been made a prisoner,
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.
God gave me [in visions here] in Babylonia, and I felt the power [MTY] of Yahweh on me.
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.
[In one of the visions, I saw a] windstorm coming from the north. There was a huge cloud, and lightning was flashing continually, and a brilliant light surrounded the cloud. In the center of where the lightning was flashing there was something that resembled glowing bronze.
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.
In the center of the storm I saw what resembled four living creatures. They resembled humans,
6 And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings.
but each of them had four faces and four wings [DOU].
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.
Their legs were straight. Their feet resembled the hooves of calves, and the creatures shone like polished bronze.
8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings; the four of them had faces on their four sides.
On their four sides under their wings there were hands like humans have.
9 They went without turning, every one went straight forward.
As the four [stood there, they formed a circle/square], with their wings touching each other. They did not turn when they were moving; they went straight ahead.
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.
[of the creatures had four faces]. The face that was in front [of each one was a face that] resembled a human face. The face on the right side resembled a lion’s face. The face on the left side resembled an ox’s face. The face in back resembled an eagle’s face.
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.
Two of each creature’s wings were lifted up and touched the wings of the creatures that were on each side. The other two wings were folded against the creature’s body.
12 Every one of them went straight forward; wherever the spirit was to go they went; they went on without turning.
The creatures went straight ahead in whatever direction the [that controlled/guided them] wanted them to go, without changing directions while they were moving.
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.
[four] creatures resembled burning coals or torches. A blazing fire moved back and forth among the creatures, and lighting flashed from among them.
14 And the living beings went out and came back as quickly as a thunder-flame.
The creatures moved back and [extremely rapidly], like [SIM] flashes 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.
While I looked at the four living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each of them.
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.
Each of the wheels was the same, and they all shone like [SIM] (chrysolite/a valuable green stone). Each seemed to have one wheel inside another wheel.
17 The four of them went straight forward without turning to one side.
Whenever they moved, they would go straight in one of the four directions that they faced; they did not [in another direction] while they moved.
18 And I saw that they had edges, and their edges, even of the four, were full of eyes round about.
The rims of the wheels were covered with eyes.
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.
Whenever the living creatures moved, the wheels moved with them. [So] whenever the creatures rose from the ground, the [also] rose 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.
Wherever the [that controlled the creatures] wanted the creatures to go, they went, and the wheels went with them, because the [that controlled/guided them] was in the wheels [DOU].
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.
Whenever the creatures moved, the wheels moved. Whenever the creatures [still], the wheels stopped. Whenever the creatures rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up with them.
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.
Above the heads of the creatures there was something that resembled a dome. It shone like ice (OR, crystal) shines, and it was awesome.
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.
Under the dome, the creatures stretched out their wings. Each one had two wings; [each wing] stretched towards the creature [was next to] it, and two wings that were against the creature’s body.
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.
Whenever the creatures moved, their wings made a sound that resembled the roar made by a rushing stream. It also sounded like the voice of Almighty God, and like [SIM] the noise of a huge army marching. Whenever the creatures stood [on the ground], they lowered 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.
While they [on the ground] with their wings lowered, there was a voice from the dome that was over their heads.
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.
Above the dome was something that resembled [huge] [that was made of a huge] (sapphire/valuable blue stone). Sitting on the throne was someone that resembled a human.
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.
I saw that above his waist his body resembled metal that was glowing as though it [a very hot] fire inside it. And I saw that below his waist there was a very brilliant light that surrounded him.
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.
[shone] like [SIM] a rainbow shines in the clouds on a rainy day. That was the brilliant light that represented the presence of Yahweh. When I saw it, I prostrated myself on the ground, and I heard him speak.
