Ezekiel 1
1 On the fifth day of the fourth month of the thirtieth year, I was with the other exiles by the River Kebar. The heavens opened and I saw visions of God.
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, that I was in the midst of the captivity by the river of Chobar; and the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2 (On the fifth day of the month of the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile,
On the fifth day of the month; this was the fifth year of the captivity of king Joakim.
3 a message from Lord was given to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of Babylonia by the River Kebar. There Lord's power came over him.)
And the word of the Lord came to Jezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river of Chobar; and the hand of the Lord was upon me.
4 I looked up and saw a windstorm racing in from the north, a tremendous cloud with fire flashing like lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The middle of the fire looked like glowing metal
And I looked, and, behold, a sweeping wind came from the north, and a great cloud on it, and [there was] brightness round about it, and gleaming fire, and in the midst of it as it were the appearance of amber in the midst of the fire, and brightness in it.
5 and within it was the shape of four beings. This was what they looked like: They had a human shape,
And in the midst as it were the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; the likeness of a man was upon them.
6 but they each had four faces and four wings.
And each one [had] four faces, and each one [had] four wings.
7 They had straight legs, and the soles of their feet looked like the hooves of calves, and shone like polished bronze.
And their legs were straight; and their feet were winged, and [there were] sparks, like gleaming brass, and their wings were light.
8 They had human hands under their wings on each of their four sides. The four of them all had faces and wings,
And the hand of a man was under their wings on their four sides.
9 and each of their wings touched the wings of the one next to it. As they moved they didn't turn—they all moved straight in one direction.
And the faces of them four turned not when they went; they went everyone straight forward.
10 This what their faces looked like. They had a human face to the front, a lion's face to the right, a bull's face to the left, and lastly an eagle's face.
And the likeness of their faces was the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right of the four; and the face of a calf on the left of the four; and the face of an eagle to the four.
11 These were their faces. Their wings were spread out above them. They all had two wings that touched the wings of the one beside it, as well as two wings that covered its body.
And the four had their wings spread out above; each one [had] two joined to one another, and two covered their bodies.
12 Each of them went together in whatever direction the Spirit wished them to go, moving without turning.
And each one went straight forward: wherever the spirit was going they went, and turned not back.
13 These beings looked like bright burning coals or torches. Blazing fire moved to and fro between the beings, and lightning flashed out from the fire.
And in the midst of the living creatures [there was] an appearance as of burning coals of fire, as an appearance of lamps turning among the living creatures; and the brightness of fire, and out of the fire came forth lightning.
14 The beings raced to and fro as fast as the lightning flashes.
15 As I was watching these beings, I noticed a wheel on the ground next to each of the beings with their four faces.
And I looked, and, behold, the four [had each] one wheel on the ground near the living creatures.
16 The wheels looked like they were made of topaz, and all four wheels were the same. In the middle of each wheel was what looked like another wheel set crossways.
And the appearance of the wheels was as the appearance of beryl: and the four had one likeness: and their work was as it were a wheel in a wheel.
17 They could move in any direction without turning as they did so.
They went on their four sides: they turned not as they went;
18 The wheel rims were impressively high, and all of the four rims were covered in eyes.
neither did their backs [turn]: and they were high: and I beheld them, and the backs of them four were full of eyes round about.
19 As the beings moved so did the wheels next to them, and when the beings flew up, the wheels did too.
And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures lifted themselves off the earth, the wheels were lifted off.
20 They would go wherever the Spirit went. The wheels would lift up beside them, because the Spirit of the beings was in the wheels to direct them.
Wherever the cloud happened to be, there was the spirit ready to go: the wheels went and were lifted up with them; because the spirit of life was in the wheels.
21 When the beings moved, the wheels moved; when they stopped, the wheels stopped; and when they flew up from the ground, the wheels flew up beside them, because the Spirit of the beings was in the wheels to direct them.
When those went, [the wheels] went; and when those stood, [the wheels] stood; and when those lifted themselves off the earth, they were lifted off with them: for the spirit of life was in the wheels.
22 Extending above the heads of the being was something that looked like an amazing expanse that glittered like ice crystal.
And the likeness over the heads of the living creatures was as a firmament, as the appearance of crystal, spread out over their wings above.
23 Under this expanse the wings of the beings spread out toward one another. Each of them also had two wings that covered its body.
And their wings were spread out under the firmament, reaching one to the other; two [wings] to each, covering their bodies.
24 When the beings moved, I heard the sound their wings made. It was like the roar of a thundering waterfall, like the voice of the Almighty, like the noise of an army on the march. Whenever they stopped, they folded their wings.
And I heard the sound of their wings when they went, as the sound of much water: and when they stood, their wings were let down.
25 A voice spoke from beyond the expanse over their heads while they were standing still with their wings folded.
And lo! a voice from above the firmament
26 Above the expanse over their heads I saw what looked like a throne made of lapis lazuli. Sitting on the throne high above was a being who looked like a man.
that was over their head, [there was] as the appearance of a sapphire stone, [and] the likeness of a throne upon it: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as an appearance of a man above.
27 From what seemed to be his waist upwards, he looked like glowing metal with fire inside and everywhere around. From what seemed to be his waist downwards, I saw what looked like fire. He was surrounded by very bright light.
And I saw as it were the resemblance of amber from the appearance of the loins and upwards, and from the appearance of the loins and under I saw an appearance of fire, and the brightness thereof round about.
28 The bright light surrounding him was like a rainbow shining through the clouds on a rainy day. This was what the glory of the Lord looked like. When I saw it, I fell facedown on the ground, and then I heard someone speaking to me.
As the appearance of the bow when it is in the cloud in days of rain, so was the form of brightness round about.
