Ezekiel 1
1 On the fifth day of the fourth month of the thirtieth year, I was with the other exiles by the River Kebar. The heavens opened and I saw visions of God.
And it cometh to pass, in the thirtieth year, in the fourth [month], in the fifth of the month, and I [am] in the midst of the Removed by the river Chebar, the heavens have been opened, and I see visions of God.
2 (On the fifth day of the month of the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile,
In the fifth of the month — it is the fifth year of the removal of the king Jehoiachin —
3 a message from Lord was given to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of Babylonia by the River Kebar. There Lord's power came over him.)
hath the word of Jehovah certainly been unto Ezekiel son of Buzi the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chebar, and there is on him there a hand of Jehovah.
4 I looked up and saw a windstorm racing in from the north, a tremendous cloud with fire flashing like lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The middle of the fire looked like glowing metal
And I look, and lo, a tempestuous wind is coming from the north, a great cloud, and fire catching itself, and brightness to it round about, and out of its midst as the colour of copper, out of the midst of the fire.
5 and within it was the shape of four beings. This was what they looked like: They had a human shape,
And out of its midst [is] a likeness of four living creatures, and this [is] their appearance; a likeness of man [is] to them,
6 but they each had four faces and four wings.
and four faces [are] to each, and four wings [are] to each of them,
7 They had straight legs, and the soles of their feet looked like the hooves of calves, and shone like polished bronze.
and their feet [are] straight feet, and the sole of their feet [is] as a sole of a calf's foot, and they are sparkling as the colour of bright brass;
8 They had human hands under their wings on each of their four sides. The four of them all had faces and wings,
and hands of man under their wings — on their four sides, and their faces and their wings — [are] to them four;
9 and each of their wings touched the wings of the one next to it. As they moved they didn't turn—they all moved straight in one direction.
joining one unto another [are] their wings, they turn not round in their going, each straight forward they go.
10 This what their faces looked like. They had a human face to the front, a lion's face to the right, a bull's face to the left, and lastly an eagle's face.
As to the likeness of their faces, the face of a man, and the face of a lion, toward the right [are] to them four, and the face of an ox on the left [are] to them four, and the face of an eagle [are] to them four.
11 These were their faces. Their wings were spread out above them. They all had two wings that touched the wings of the one beside it, as well as two wings that covered its body.
And their faces and their wings are separate from above, to each [are] two joining together, and two are covering their bodies.
12 Each of them went together in whatever direction the Spirit wished them to go, moving without turning.
And each straight forward they go, whither the spirit is to go, they go, they turn not round in their going.
13 These beings looked like bright burning coals or torches. Blazing fire moved to and fro between the beings, and lightning flashed out from the fire.
As to the likeness of the living creatures, their appearances [are] as coals of fire — burning as the appearance of lamps; it is going up and down between the living creatures, and brightness [is] to the fire, and out of the fire is going forth lightning.
14 The beings raced to and fro as fast as the lightning flashes.
And the living creatures are running, and turning back, as the appearance of the flash.
15 As I was watching these beings, I noticed a wheel on the ground next to each of the beings with their four faces.
And I see the living creatures, and lo, one wheel [is] in the earth, near the living creatures, at its four faces.
16 The wheels looked like they were made of topaz, and all four wheels were the same. In the middle of each wheel was what looked like another wheel set crossways.
The appearance of the wheels and their works [is] as the colour of beryl, and one likeness [is] to them four, and their appearances and their works [are] as it were the wheel in the midst of the wheel.
17 They could move in any direction without turning as they did so.
On their four sides, in their going they go, they turn not round in their going.
18 The wheel rims were impressively high, and all of the four rims were covered in eyes.
As to their rings, they are both high and fearful, and their rings [are] full of eyes round about them four.
19 As the beings moved so did the wheels next to them, and when the beings flew up, the wheels did too.
And in the going of the living creatures, the wheels go beside them, and in the living creatures being lifted up from off the earth, lifted up are the wheels.
20 They would go wherever the Spirit went. The wheels would lift up beside them, because the Spirit of the beings was in the wheels to direct them.
Whither the spirit is to go, they go, thither the spirit [is] to go, and the wheels are lifted up over-against them, for a living spirit [is] in the wheels.
21 When the beings moved, the wheels moved; when they stopped, the wheels stopped; and when they flew up from the ground, the wheels flew up beside them, because the Spirit of the beings was in the wheels to direct them.
In their going, they go; and in their standing, they stand; and in their being lifted up from off the earth, lifted up are the wheels over-against them; for a living spirit [is] in the wheels.
22 Extending above the heads of the being was something that looked like an amazing expanse that glittered like ice crystal.
And a likeness [is] over the heads of the living creatures of an expanse, as the colour of the fearful ice, stretched out over their heads from above.
23 Under this expanse the wings of the beings spread out toward one another. Each of them also had two wings that covered its body.
And under the expanse their wings [are] straight, one toward the other, to each are two covering on this side, and to each are two covering on that side — their bodies.
24 When the beings moved, I heard the sound their wings made. It was like the roar of a thundering waterfall, like the voice of the Almighty, like the noise of an army on the march. Whenever they stopped, they folded their wings.
And I hear the noise of their wings, as the noise of many waters, as the noise of the Mighty One, in their going — the noise of tumult, as the noise of a camp, in their standing they let fall their wings.
25 A voice spoke from beyond the expanse over their heads while they were standing still with their wings folded.
And there is a voice from above the expanse, that [is] above their head: in their standing they let fall their wings.
26 Above the expanse over their heads I saw what looked like a throne made of lapis lazuli. Sitting on the throne high above was a being who looked like a man.
And above the expanse that [is] over their head, as an appearance of a sapphire stone, [is] the likeness of a throne, and on the likeness of the throne a likeness, as the appearance of man upon it from above.
27 From what seemed to be his waist upwards, he looked like glowing metal with fire inside and everywhere around. From what seemed to be his waist downwards, I saw what looked like fire. He was surrounded by very bright light.
And I see as the colour of copper, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward, and from the appearance of his loins and downward, I have seen as the appearance of fire, and brightness [is] to it round about.
28 The bright light surrounding him was like a rainbow shining through the clouds on a rainy day. This was what the glory of the Lord looked like. When I saw it, I fell facedown on the ground, and then I heard someone speaking to me.
As the appearance of the bow that is in a cloud in a day of rain, so [is] the appearance of the brightness round about.
