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.
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.
2 (On the fifth day of the month of the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile,
On the fifth day of the month, in the fifth year after King Jehoiachin had been made a prisoner,
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.)
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.
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, 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.
5 and within it was the shape of four beings. This was what they looked like: They had a human shape,
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.
6 but they each had four faces and four wings.
And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings.
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 were straight feet; and the under sides of their feet were like the feet of oxen; and they were shining like polished 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 they had the hands of a man under their wings; the four of them had faces on their four sides.
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.
They went without turning, every one went straight forward.
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 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.
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 wings were separate at the top; two of the wings of every one were joined one to another, and two were covering their bodies.
12 Each of them went together in whatever direction the Spirit wished them to go, moving without turning.
Every one of them went straight forward; wherever the spirit was to go they went; they went on without turning.
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.
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.
14 The beings raced to and fro as fast as the lightning flashes.
And the living beings went out and came back as quickly as a thunder-flame.
15 As I was watching these beings, I noticed a wheel on the ground next to each of the beings with their four faces.
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.
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 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.
17 They could move in any direction without turning as they did so.
The four of them went straight forward without turning to one side.
18 The wheel rims were impressively high, and all of the four rims were covered in eyes.
And I saw that they had edges, and their edges, even of the four, were full of eyes round about.
19 As the beings moved so did the wheels next to them, and when the beings flew up, the wheels did too.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
22 Extending above the heads of the being was something that looked like an amazing expanse that glittered like ice crystal.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
25 A voice spoke from beyond the expanse over their heads while they were standing still with their wings folded.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
