Ezekiel 1

1 In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.

2 On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—

3 the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him.

4 I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire was a gleam like amber,

5 and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form,

6 but each had four faces and four wings.

7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze.

8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four living creatures had faces and wings,

9 and their wings were touching one another. They did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead.

10 The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and also the face of an eagle.

11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread upward; each had two wings touching the wings of the creature on either side, and two wings covering its body.

12 Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved.

13 In the midst of the living creatures was the appearance of glowing coals of fire, or of torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it.

14 The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning.

15 When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.

16 The workmanship of the wheels looked like the gleam of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. Their workmanship looked like a wheel within a wheel.

17 As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved.

18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.

19 So as the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose.

20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

21 When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal.

23 And under the expanse, their wings stretched out toward one another. Each one also had two wings covering its body.

24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

25 And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood still with their wings lowered.

26 Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man.

27 From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around. And from what seemed to be His waist down, I saw what looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him.

28 The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.

1 ¶ 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 of Chebar, [that] the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

2 In the fifth [day] of the month, which [was] the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

3 The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

4 ¶ And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness [was] about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

5 Also out of the midst thereof [came] the likeness of four living creatures. And this [was] their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

7 And their feet [were] straight feet; and the sole of their feet [was] like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

8 And [they had] the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

9 Their wings [were] joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

11 Thus [were] their faces: and their wings [were] stretched upward; two [wings] of every one [were] joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; [and] they turned not when they went.

13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance [was] like burning coals of fire, [and] like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

15 ¶ Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

16 The appearance of the wheels and their work [was] like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work [was] as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: [and] they turned not when they went.

18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings [were] full of eyes round about them four.

19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither [was their] spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against 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 over against them: for the spirit of the living creature [was] in the wheels.

22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature [was] as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

23 And under the firmament [were] their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.

24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

25 And there was a voice from the firmament that [was] over their heads, when they stood, [and] had let down their wings.

26 ¶ And above the firmament that [was] over their heads [was] the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne [was] the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

28 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 likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw [it], I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

1 In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, when I was among the captives by the waters of Chebar, the heavens were opened, and God showed me visions.

2 This fifth day of the month was the fifth year since Jehoiachin king of Judah was carried away captive.

3 And the word of the LORD came unto Ezekiel the son of Busi the priest in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD was upon him.

4 And I looked, and, behold, there came a rushing wind from the north, with a great cloud full of fire shining round about: and in the midst of the same fire there was as it were light.

5 And within was fashioned like four beasts, and among them one fashioned like a man.

6 And every one had four faces, and four wings.

7 And their legs were straight, but their feet were like round feet, and shone as bright brass.

8 And had men's hands under their wings in their four places: for they had all four their faces and their wings.

9 And the same wings were one upon another. And when they went, they were not to turn about, but whithersoever they went, they went straight before them.

10 Their faces on the right side of the fours were like unto a man and a lion: but on the left side of the fours their faces were like unto an ox and an eagle.

11 And their faces and their wings were parted above, and two wings were clasped together, and two wings covered their bodies.

12 Whither they went, they went straight before them: but they went whithersoever the wind blew, and could not turn when they went.

13 And the beasts were seen as coals of fire burning, and as torches going among the beasts. And the fire gave forth a brightness, and out of the fire proceeded lightning.

14 And the beasts ran to and fro like lightning.

15 And when I saw the beasts, behold, a wheel stood upon the earth by the four beasts, and was as four wheels to look upon.

16 And the same wheels were like unto turquoise, and all four of them were one like unto another: and they were as one wheel in another to look upon.

17 And when they should go, they could go into all their four places, and could not turn when they went.

18 Their figs and their height were terrible; and their rims were full of eyes round about on all four wheels.

19 And when the beasts went, the wheels went also beside them: and when the beasts lifted themselves up from the earth, the wheels lifted themselves up also.

20 Whithersoever the wind went, they went also; and the wheels went up beside them: for there was a living wind in the wheels.

21 When they went, these also went; and when they kept, these also kept; and when they lifted themselves up from the earth, the wheels also lifted themselves up beside them: for there was a living wind in the wheels.

22 And above the beasts it was fashioned like the heaven, as a crystal, terrible, spread straight up above them,

23 And under heaven their wings were stretched out one against another, and every man's body was covered with two wings.

24 And I heard the wings as the great waters, and as the sound of the Almighty when they went, and as the tumult of an army. And when they were still, they let down their wings.

25 And when they sat still, and let down their wings, there was a thunder in heaven above them.

26 And above the heaven that was above them was fashioned like a sapphire, like a chair: and upon the same chair sat one fashioned like a man.

27 And I looked, and, behold, it was as the brightness of light; and within it was fashioned like fire round about. From the loins thereof above, and from the loins thereof beneath, I saw it shining like fire round about.

28 As the rainbow standeth in the clouds, when it rained, so it shined round about. This was the appearance of the glory of the Lord. And when I had seen it, I fell on my face, and heard one speak.