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.
In the thirtieth year, the fourth month, and the fifth day of the month, it came about that I was living among the captives by the Kebar Canal. The heavens opened, 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 that month—it was the fifth year of the exile of 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.)
the word of Yahweh came to Ezekiel son of Buzi the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Kebar Canal, and the hand of Yahweh was upon him 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
Then I looked, and there was a windstorm coming from the north; a great cloud with fire flashing within it and brightness surrounding it and inside of it, and the fire was the color of amber inside the cloud.
5 and within it was the shape of four beings. This was what they looked like: They had a human shape,
In the middle was the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man,
6 but they each had four faces and four wings.
but they had four faces each, and each of the creatures 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.
Their legs were straight, but the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf that shone like polished bronze.
8 They had human hands under their wings on each of their four sides. The four of them all had faces and wings,
Yet they had human hands under their wings on all four sides. For all four, their faces and wings were like this:
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 touching the wings of the next creature, and they did not turn as they went; instead, each 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.
The likeness of their faces was like the face of a man. The four of them had the face of a lion to the right side, and the four of them had the face of an ox on the left side. They four had also 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.
Their faces were like that, and their wings were spread out above, so that each creature had a pair of wings that touched another creature's wing, and also a pair of wings that covered their bodies.
12 Each of them went together in whatever direction the Spirit wished them to go, moving without turning.
Each went straight forward, so that wherever the Spirit directed them to go, they went 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.
As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches; bright fire also moved about among the creatures, and there were flashes of lightning.
14 The beings raced to and fro as fast as the lightning flashes.
The living creatures were moving swiftly back and forth, and they had the appearance 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.
Then I looked at the living creatures; and I saw one wheel on the ground beside each of living creatures with 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.
This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: Each wheel was like beryl, and the four had the same likeness; their appearance and structure was like a wheel intersecting another wheel.
17 They could move in any direction without turning as they did so.
As they moved, they went in any of their four directions, without turning as they went.
18 The wheel rims were impressively high, and all of the four rims were covered in eyes.
As for their rims, they were high and fearsome, for the rims 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.
Whenever the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them. When the living creatures rose up from the earth, the wheels also rose 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 would go, they went, and the wheels rose up beside 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.
Whenever the creatures moved, the wheels also moved; and when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still; when the creatures rose up from the earth, the wheels rose up beside them, because 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.
Over the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an expansive dome; it looked like awe-inspiring crystal stretched out 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.
Beneath the dome, each one of the creature's wings stretched out straight and touched another creature's wings. Each of the living creatures also had a pair to cover themselves; each had a pair to cover his own body.
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.
Then I heard the sound of their wings. Like the noise of many waters. Like the voice of the Almighty whenever they moved. Like the sound of a rainstorm. Like the sound of an army. Whenever they stood still, they lowered their wings.
25 A voice spoke from beyond the expanse over their heads while they were standing still with their wings folded.
A voice came from above the dome over their heads whenever they stood still and lowered 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.
Above the dome over their heads was the likeness of a throne that was like the appearance of a sapphire stone, and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness like the appearance of a man.
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.
I saw a figure with the appearance of glowing metal with fire in it from the appearance of his hips up; I saw from the appearance of his hips downward the appearance of fire and brightness all around.
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 appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day was the appearance of the bright light surrounding it. It was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice speaking.
