Ezekiel 1
1 [I am] Ezekiel, a priest, the son of Buzi. When I was 30 years [old], I [living] among [Israeli] people who had been (exiled from/forced to leave) [and had come to Babylon]. I was living along the Kebar River/ [south of Babylon]. Almost five years after King Jehoiachin had been (exiled/forced to leave Judah), on the fifth day of the fourth [of that year, it was as though] the sky was opened and I saw visions from God. On that day,
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.
(On the fifth day of the month of the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile,
3 God gave me [in visions here] in Babylonia, and I felt the power [MTY] of Yahweh on me.
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.)
4 [In one of the visions, I saw a] windstorm coming from the north. There was a huge cloud, and lightning was flashing continually, and a brilliant light surrounded the cloud. In the center of where the lightning was flashing there was something that resembled glowing bronze.
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
5 In the center of the storm I saw what resembled four living creatures. They resembled humans,
and within it was the shape of four beings. This was what they looked like: They had a human shape,
6 but each of them had four faces and four wings [DOU].
but they each had four faces and four wings.
7 Their legs were straight. Their feet resembled the hooves of calves, and the creatures shone like polished bronze.
They had straight legs, and the soles of their feet looked like the hooves of calves, and shone like polished bronze.
8 On their four sides under their wings there were hands like humans have.
They had human hands under their wings on each of their four sides. The four of them all had faces and wings,
9 As the four [stood there, they formed a circle/square], with their wings touching each other. They did not turn when they were moving; they went straight ahead.
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.
10 [of the creatures had four faces]. The face that was in front [of each one was a face that] resembled a human face. The face on the right side resembled a lion’s face. The face on the left side resembled an ox’s face. The face in back resembled an eagle’s face.
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.
11 Two of each creature’s wings were lifted up and touched the wings of the creatures that were on each side. The other two wings were folded against the creature’s body.
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.
12 The creatures went straight ahead in whatever direction the [that controlled/guided them] wanted them to go, without changing directions while they were moving.
Each of them went together in whatever direction the Spirit wished them to go, moving without turning.
13 [four] creatures resembled burning coals or torches. A blazing fire moved back and forth among the creatures, and lighting flashed from among them.
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.
14 The creatures moved back and [extremely rapidly], like [SIM] flashes of lightning.
The beings raced to and fro as fast as the lightning flashes.
15 While I looked at the four living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each of them.
As I was watching these beings, I noticed a wheel on the ground next to each of the beings with their four faces.
16 Each of the wheels was the same, and they all shone like [SIM] (chrysolite/a valuable green stone). Each seemed to have one wheel inside another wheel.
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.
17 Whenever they moved, they would go straight in one of the four directions that they faced; they did not [in another direction] while they moved.
They could move in any direction without turning as they did so.
18 The rims of the wheels were covered with eyes.
The wheel rims were impressively high, and all of the four rims were covered in eyes.
19 Whenever the living creatures moved, the wheels moved with them. [So] whenever the creatures rose from the ground, the [also] rose up.
As the beings moved so did the wheels next to them, and when the beings flew up, the wheels did too.
20 Wherever the [that controlled the creatures] wanted the creatures to go, they went, and the wheels went with them, because the [that controlled/guided them] was in the wheels [DOU].
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.
21 Whenever the creatures moved, the wheels moved. Whenever the creatures [still], the wheels stopped. Whenever the creatures rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up with them.
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.
22 Above the heads of the creatures there was something that resembled a dome. It shone like ice (OR, crystal) shines, and it was awesome.
Extending above the heads of the being was something that looked like an amazing expanse that glittered like ice crystal.
23 Under the dome, the creatures stretched out their wings. Each one had two wings; [each wing] stretched towards the creature [was next to] it, and two wings that were against the creature’s body.
Under this expanse the wings of the beings spread out toward one another. Each of them also had two wings that covered its body.
24 Whenever the creatures moved, their wings made a sound that resembled the roar made by a rushing stream. It also sounded like the voice of Almighty God, and like [SIM] the noise of a huge army marching. Whenever the creatures stood [on the ground], they lowered their wings.
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.
25 While they [on the ground] with their wings lowered, there was a voice from the dome that was over their heads.
A voice spoke from beyond the expanse over their heads while they were standing still with their wings folded.
26 Above the dome was something that resembled [huge] [that was made of a huge] (sapphire/valuable blue stone). Sitting on the throne was someone that resembled a human.
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.
27 I saw that above his waist his body resembled metal that was glowing as though it [a very hot] fire inside it. And I saw that below his waist there was a very brilliant light that surrounded him.
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.
28 [shone] like [SIM] a rainbow shines in the clouds on a rainy day. That was the brilliant light that represented the presence of Yahweh. When I saw it, I prostrated myself on the ground, and I heard him speak.
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.
