Ezekiel 1
1 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.
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 Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2 On the fifth day of that month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—
On the fifth day of the month, in the fifth year of the captivity of King Jehoiachin,
3 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.
the word of Jehovah came to Ezekiel, the son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldaeans, by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him.
4 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.
And I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came from the north, a great cloud, and a mass of fire; and a brightness was round about it, and in the midst of it the appearance of bright brass, in the midst of the fire.
5 In the middle was the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man,
And in the midst of it were the forms of four living creatures. And this was their appearance. They had the form of a man.
6 but they had four faces each, and each of the creatures had four wings.
And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
7 Their legs were straight, but the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf that shone like polished bronze.
And their feet were upright; and the sole of their feet was as the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like polished brass.
8 Yet they had human hands under their wings on all four sides. For all four, their faces and wings were like this:
And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides, and all four had faces and wings.
9 their wings were touching the wings of the next creature, and they did not turn as they went; instead, each one went straight forward.
Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not about when they went; they went every one straight forward.
10 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.
As for the form of their faces, all four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right side, and all four had the face of an ox on the left side, and all four had also the face of an eagle.
11 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.
Thus were their faces. And their wings were expanded upward; two wings of every one were joined, and two covered their bodies.
12 Each went straight forward, so that wherever the Spirit directed them to go, they went without turning.
And they went every one straight forward; whither the spirit was to go, they went, and they turned not about when they went.
13 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.
And the appearance of the living creatures was as coals of fire, burning like torches; and the fire moved about among the living creatures, and shone forth brightly; and out of the fire came forth lightning.
14 The living creatures were moving swiftly back and forth, and they had the appearance of lightning!
And the living creatures ran backward and forward like a flash of lightning.
15 Then I looked at the living creatures; and I saw one wheel on the ground beside each of living creatures with its four faces.
Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, there stood a wheel upon the earth by each of the living creatures, with its four sides.
16 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.
The appearance of the wheels, and their work, was like that of a chrysolite, and all four had one form, and their appearance and their work was as if a wheel had been within a wheel.
17 As they moved, they went in any of their four directions, without turning as they went.
When they went, they went upon their four sides, and they turned not about when they went.
18 As for their rims, they were high and fearsome, for the rims were full of eyes round about.
As for their felloes, they were high and terrible; and their felloes were full of eyes round about upon all four of them.
19 Whenever the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them. When the living creatures rose up from the earth, the wheels also rose up.
And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20 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.
Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, whithersoever the spirit was to go; and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
21 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.
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 beside them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 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.
And over the heads of the living creatures was the appearance of a firmament, like crystal, terrible, spread out over their heads above.
23 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.
And under the firmament were their wings upright, the one toward the other; and every one had two, which covered his body.
24 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.
And I heard the sound of their wings, as the sound of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, when they went, —a sound like the noise of a host. And when they stood still, they let down their wings.
25 A voice came from above the dome over their heads whenever they stood still and lowered their wings.
And there was a voice from the firmament, that was over their heads; and they stood still, and let down their wings.
26 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.
And above the firmament over their heads was an appearance like a sapphire-stone, the form of a throne; and upon the form of the throne there was a form like that of a man above.
27 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.
And I saw what had the appearance of bright brass, what had the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins and upward. And from the appearance of his loins downward I saw what had the appearance of fire, and its brightness was round about him.
28 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.
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 glory of Jehovah. And when I saw it I fell upon my face, and I heard the voice of one who spoke.
