Ezekiel 10

1 Then [in the vision] I saw what resembled a throne made of (sapphire/[a very valuable] blue stone). It was above the thing that resembled a dome that was above the heads of the four winged creatures.

And I looked and saw above the expanse, above the heads of the cherubim, the likeness of a throne of sapphire.

2 Yahweh said to the man wearing the linen robe, “Go between the wheels that are under the winged creatures. Pick up as many hot coals as you can, and scatter them over the city.” And while I watched, the man wearing the linen robe left.

And the LORD said to the man clothed in linen, “Go inside the wheelwork beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.

3 The four winged creatures were standing on the south side of the temple when the man wearing the linen robe entered. Then a cloud filled the inner courtyard [of the temple area].

Now when the man went in, the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple, and a cloud filled the inner court.

4 And the (glory/dazzling light) of Yahweh rose up from above the winged creatures and went to the entrance of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the courtyard was full of the (glory/dazzling light) of Yahweh.

Then the glory of the LORD rose from above the cherubim and stood over the threshold of the temple. The temple was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD.

5 The sound made by the wings of the winged creatures could be heard as far away as the courtyard outside the temple. It [very loud], like [SIM] the voice of Almighty God when he speaks.

The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when He speaks.

6 When Yahweh commanded the man wearing the linen robe to take burning coals from among those winged creatures, the man went [the courtyard] and stood beside one of the wheels.

When the LORD commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from within the wheelwork, from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel.

7 Then one of those winged creatures reached out his hand to the fire that was there among them. He picked up some of the coals and put them in the hands of the man wearing the linen robe, and that man took them and left.

Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand and took some of the fire that was among them. And he put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who received it and went out.

8 Under the wings of the winged creatures was something that resembled a human’s hands.

(The cherubim appeared to have the form of human hands under their wings.)

9 Then [in the vision] I saw four wheels alongside the winged creatures. There was one wheel beside each of the winged creatures. The wheels shone like [SIM] very valuable stones.

Then I looked and saw four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub. And the wheels gleamed like a beryl stone.

10 The wheels were all alike: Each had one wheel inside another wheel.

As for their appearance, all four had the same form, like a wheel within a wheel.

11 Whenever they moved, they went straight in whatever direction one of the winged creatures faced. The wheels did not turn in another direction while the winged creatures flew.

When they moved, they would go in any of the four directions, without turning as they moved. For wherever the head faced, the cherubim would go in that direction, without turning as they moved.

12 Their bodies, including their backs and hands and wings, were covered with eyes. The wheels were also covered with eyes.

Their entire bodies, including their backs, hands, and wings, were full of eyes all around, as were their four wheels.

13 I heard someone call them ‘the whirling wheels’.

I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.”

14 Each of the winged creatures had four faces. One face was like the face of a bull, one face was like the face of a human, one face was like the face of a lion, and one face was like the face of an eagle.

Each of the cherubim had four faces: the first face was that of a cherub, the second that of a man, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.

15 Then the winged creatures rose up. They were the same living creatures that I had seen alongside the Kebar River/Canal.

Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures I had seen by the River Kebar.

16 When the winged creatures moved, the wheels moved with them. When the winged creatures spread their wings to fly over the ground, the wheels did not leave them.

When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved beside them, and even when they spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not veer away from their side.

17 When the winged creatures stopped, the wheels stopped. When the winged creatures started to fly, the wheels flew with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

When the cherubim stood still, the wheels also stood still, and when they ascended, the wheels ascended with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

18 Then the (glory/dazzling light) left the entrance of the temple and stopped above the winged creatures.

Then the glory of the LORD moved away from the threshold of the temple and stood above the cherubim.

19 While I watched, the winged creatures spread their wings and started to fly, and the wheels went with them. They stopped at the gate on the east side of the temple area, and the (glory/dazzling light) of God, the one whom the [had worshiped], was above them.

As I watched, the cherubim lifted their wings and rose up from the ground, with the wheels beside them as they went. And they stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the house of the LORD, with the glory of the God of Israel above them.

20 Those were the [same] four living creatures that I had seen alongside the Kebar River/Canal, and I realized that they were the winged creatures.

These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the River Kebar, and I knew that they were cherubim.

21 Each of them had four faces and four wings, and under their wings was what resembled a human’s hands.

Each had four faces and four wings, with what looked like human hands under their wings.

22 Their faces were the same as the faces that I had seen at the Kebar River/Canal. Each of them flew straight ahead.

Their faces looked like the faces I had seen by the River Kebar. Each creature went straight ahead.