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 Godt.2 In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,3 the word of Yahweht came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand ofYahweh was there on him.4 I looked, and behold, 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.5 Out of its midst came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.6 Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings.7 Their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like 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:9 their wings were joined one to another; they didn’t turn when they went; each one went 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.11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies.12 Each one went straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went; they didn’t turn 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: the fire went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forthlightning.14 The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.15 Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl: and the four of them had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.17 When they went, they went in their four directions: they didn’t turn when they went.18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around.19 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 was to go, they went; there was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.21 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 creature was in the wheels.22 Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome crystal to look on, stretched forth over their heads above.23 Under the expanse were their wings straight, the one toward the other: each 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 the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army: when they stood, they let down their wings.25 There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads: when they stood, 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 sapphiret stone; and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above.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 brightnessaround him.

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 Yahweh. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice ofone that spoke.

Ezekiel 1

A Vision of God’s Glory

1 In the thirtieth year,s on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiless at the Kebar River,s the heavens openeds and I saw a divine vision.t2 (On the fifth day of the month – it was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile –

3 the word of the Lord came to the priest Ezekiels the son of Buzi,t at the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.t The handts of the Lord came on him there).
4 As I watched, I noticedt a windstorms coming from the north – an enormous cloud, with lightning flashing,t such that bright lightt rimmed it and came froms it like glowing ambert from the middle of a fire.5 In the fires were what looked liket four living beings.t In their appearance they had human form,s6 but each had four faces and four wings.7 Their legs were straight, but the soles of their feet were like calves’ feet. They gleameds like polished bronze.8 They had human handss under their wings on their four sides. As for the faces and wings of the four of them,

9 their wings touched each other; they did not turn as they moved, but went straight ahead.t
10 Their faces had this appearance: Each of the four had the face of a man, with the face of a lion on the right, the face of an ox on the left and also the face of an eagle.s11 Their wings were spread out above them; each had two wings touching the wings of one of the other beings on either side and two wings covering their bodies.12 Each moved straight aheadt – wherever the spiritt would go, they would go, without turning as they went.13 In the middles of the living beings was something likess burning coals of fires or like torches. It moved back and forth among the living beings. It was bright, and lightning was flashing out of the fire.

14 The living beings moved backward and forward as quickly as flashes of lightning.st
15 Then I looked,s and I saw one wheels on the groundt beside each of the four beings.16 The appearance of the wheels and their constructions was like gleaming jasper,t and all four wheels looked alike. Their structure was like a wheel within a wheel.t17 When they moved they would go in any of the four directions they faced without turning as they moved.

18 Their rims were high and awesome,s and the rims of all four wheels were full of eyes all around.
19 When the living beings moved, the wheels beside them moved; when the living beings rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up too.20 Wherever the spiritt would go, they would go,s and the wheels would rise up beside them because the spiritt of the living being was in the wheel.

21 When the living beings moved, the wheels moved, and when they stopped moving, the wheels stopped.st When they rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up from the ground; the wheels rose up beside them because the spirit of the living being was in the wheel.
22 Over the heads of the living beings was something like a platform,t glittering awesomely like ice,t stretched out over their heads.23 Under the platform their wings were stretched out, each toward the other. Each of the beings also had two wings coverings its body.

24 When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings – it was like the sound of rushing waters, or the voice of the Almighty,t or the tumultt of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
25 Then there was a voice from above the platform over their heads when they stood still.s26 Above the platform over their heads was something like a sapphire shaped like a throne. High above on the throne was a form that appeared to be a man.27 I saw an amber glowt like a fire enclosed all arounds from his waist up. From his waist down I saw something that looked like fire. There was a brilliant light around it,

28 like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds after the rain.s This was the appearance of the surrounding brilliant light; it looked like the glory of the Lord. When I sawt it, I threw myself face down, and I heard a voice speaking.