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 to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2 (On the fifth day of the month of the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile,
In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,
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 expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there on him.
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 looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire enfolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the middle thereof as the color of amber, out of the middle of the fire.
5 and within it was the shape of four beings. This was what they looked like: They had a human shape,
Also out of the middle thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
6 but they each had four faces and four wings.
And every one had four faces, and every one 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 sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the color of burnished 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 on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
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.
Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one 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 likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also 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.
Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
12 Each of them went together in whatever direction the Spirit wished them to go, moving without turning.
And they went every one straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
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 for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
14 The beings raced to and fro as fast as the lightning flashes.
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
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 as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel on the earth by the living creatures, with his 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 work was like to the color of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
17 They could move in any direction without turning as they did so.
When they went, they went on their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
18 The wheel rims were impressively high, and all of the four rims were covered in eyes.
As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were 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 when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures 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, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature 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 those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature 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 the likeness of the firmament on the heads of the living creature was as the color of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads 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 firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered 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 when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, 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 firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had 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 above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and on the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above on it.
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 as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness 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 the cloud in 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 on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.
