< Ezekiel 1 >

1 Now it happened in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
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.
2 In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
On the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of the exile of king Jehoyachin,
3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD came upon him.
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.
4 I looked, and look, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of its midst as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire.
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.
5 Out of its midst came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
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.
6 And each one had four faces, and each one of them had four wings.
And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings.
7 Their legs were straight, and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like burnished 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 glitter of burnished copper.
8 They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and the four of them had their faces and their wings thus:
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.
9 their wings were joined one to another; they didn't turn when they went; each one went straight forward.
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.
10 As for the likeness 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; the four of them also had the face of an eagle.
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.
11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies.
Thus were their faces: and their wings were spread out upward; every one had two joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
12 Each one went straight forward: where the spirit would go, they went; they didn't turn when they went.
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.
13 And in the midst of the living creatures was an appearance of burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. The fire went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
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.
14 The living creatures darted back and forth, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
And the living creatures ran backward and forward like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I saw the living creatures, look, there was a wheel on the ground beside each living creature with its four faces.
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.
16 And the appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl: and the four of them had the same likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.
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.
17 When they went, they went in their four directions: they didn't turn when they went.
Toward their four sides they went in their going: they turned not round in their going.
18 As for their rims, they were high and awesome; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around.
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.
19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose.
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.
20 They went in whichever direction the spirit would go, and the wheels rose alongside them because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
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.
21 When those [the living creatures] moved, these [the wheels] moved; and when those [the living creatures] stood still, and when those [the living creatures] rose from the ground, the wheels rose alongside them because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
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.
22 And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, like glittering ice, it was awesome to look upon, stretched out over their heads above.
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.
23 Under the expanse their wings were straight, the one toward the other. And each one had two which covered its body.
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.
24 When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of Shaddai, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army: when they stood, they let down their wings.
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.
25 There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads.
And there was a voice from the vault that was over their head: when they stood still, they let down their wings.
26 Above the expanse 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 a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above.
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.
27 I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.
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.
28 As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice speaking.
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.

< Ezekiel 1 >