< 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.
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 Elohim.
2 In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
3 the word of YHWH came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of YHWH came upon him.
The word of YHWH came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of YHWH was there upon him.
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 looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour 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.
Also out of the midst thereof came 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 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 colour of burnished brass.
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 they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
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 another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
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.
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 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 stretched upward; two wings of every one were 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 straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
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 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 living creatures darted back and forth, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
And the living creatures ran and returned as 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.
Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four 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 unto the colour 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 When they went, they went in their four directions: they didn't turn when they went.
When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
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 rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them 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 by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted 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, 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 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 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 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 the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible 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 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 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 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 There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads.
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 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 firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the 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 the colour 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 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 YHWH. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice speaking.
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 YHWH. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.