< Ezekiel 1 >

1 And it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was in the midst of the exiles by the river Kebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw divine visions.
Now it came to pass in the thirties year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, that I was in the midst of the captivity by the river of Chobar; and the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2 On the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of the exile of king Jehoyachin,
On the fifth day of the month; this was the fifth year of the captivity of king Joakim.
3 Came the word of the Lord expressly unto Ezekiel the son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Kebar; and there came upon him there the inspiration of the Lord.
And the word of the Lord came to Jezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river of Chobar; and the hand of the Lord was upon me.
4 And I saw, and behold, a storm-wind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a flaming fire, and a brightness was on it round about; and out of the midst of it was like the glitter of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
And I looked, and, behold, a sweeping wind came from the north, and a great cloud on it, and [there was] brightness round about it, and gleaming fire, and in the midst of it as it were the appearance of amber in the midst of the fire, and brightness in it.
5 And out of the midst thereof [I saw] the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man.
And in the midst as it were the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; the likeness of a man was upon them.
6 And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings.
And each one [had] four faces, and each one [had] four wings.
7 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 glitter of burnished copper.
And their legs were straight; and their feet were winged, and [there were] sparks, like gleaming brass, and their wings were light.
8 And hands of man [were visible] from beneath their wings on their four sides: and their faces and their wings [were alike] on all these four.
And the hand of a man was under their wings on their four sides.
9 Their wings were joined one to the other: they turned not about in their going; they went every one in the direction of one of their faces.
And the faces of them four turned not when they went; they went everyone straight forward.
10 And the likeness of their faces was the face of a man; and the face of a lion, on the right side for all four of them; and the face of an ox on the left side for all four of them; and the face of an eagle for all four of them.
And the likeness of their faces was the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right of the four; and the face of a calf on the left of the four; and the face of an eagle to the four.
11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were spread out upward; every one had two joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
And the four had their wings spread out above; each one [had] two joined to one another, and two covered their bodies.
12 And they went every one in the direction of one of his faces: whither the spirit was directed to go, they went; they turned not about in their going.
And each one went straight forward: wherever the spirit was going they went, and turned not back.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like coals of fire, burning as with the appearance of torches; this [fire] it was which passed along between the living creatures: and a brightness was about the fire, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
And in the midst of the living creatures [there was] an appearance as of burning coals of fire, as an appearance of lamps turning amongst the living creatures; and the brightness of fire, and out of the fire came forth lightning.
14 And the living creatures ran backward and forward like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 And I looked on the living creatures, and, behold, there was one wheel upon the earth close by the living creatures, by their four front faces.
And I looked, and, behold, the four [had each] one wheel on the ground near the living creatures.
16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like the color of a chrysolite; and all four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as though it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
And the appearance of the wheels was as the appearance of beryl: and the four had one likeness: and their work was as it were a wheel in a wheel.
17 Toward their four sides they went in their going: they turned not round in their going.
They went on their four sides: they turned not as they went;
18 As for their circumferences, they were so high that they excited fear: and their felloes were full of eyes round about on all these four.
neither did their backs [turn]: and they were high: and I saw them, and the backs of them four were full of eyes round about.
19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went near to them: and when the living creatures lifted themselves up from the earth, the wheels lifted themselves up.
And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures lifted themselves off the earth, the wheels were lifted off.
20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went; [for] thither was [their] spirit to go: and the wheels lifted themselves up at the same time with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
Wherever the cloud happened to be, there was the spirit ready to go: the wheels went and were lifted up with them; because the spirit of life was in the wheels.
21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those lifted themselves up from the earth, the wheels lifted themselves up at the same time with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
When those went, [the wheels] went; and when those stood, [the wheels] stood; and when those lifted themselves off the earth, they were lifted off with them: for the spirit of life was in the wheels.
22 And the likeness of a vault was over the head of the living creatures, [shining] like the glitter of the purest crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.
And the likeness over the heads of the living creatures was as a firmament, as the appearance of crystal, spread out over their wings above.
23 And under the vault their wings were straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered them, and every one had two, which covered them, —[namely, ] their bodies.
And their wings were spread out under the firmament, reaching one to the other; two [wings] to each, covering their bodies.
24 And I heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, when they went, the sound of [their] speech, as the noise of an army: when they stood still, they let down their wings.
And I heard the sound of their wings when they went, as the sound of much water: and when they stood, their wings were let down.
25 And there was a voice from the vault that was over their head: when they stood still, they let down their wings.
And behold! a voice from above the firmament
26 And above the vault that was over their head was like the appearance of a sapphire-stone, the likeness of a throne: and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
that was over their head, [there was] as the appearance of a sapphire stone, [and] the likeness of a throne upon it: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as an appearance of a man above.
27 And I saw as if it were the glitter of amber, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins upward; and from the appearance of his loins downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
And I saw as it were the resemblance of amber from the appearance of the loins and upwards, and from the appearance of the loins and under I saw an appearance of fire, and the brightness thereof round about.
28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on 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 upon my face, and I heard the voice of one that spoke.
As the appearance of the bow when it is in the cloud in days of rain, so was the form of brightness round about.

< Ezekiel 1 >