Ezekiel 1

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

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

3the word of Yahweh came indeed to Ezekiel son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Kebar River, and there the hand of Yahweh came upon him.

4And I looked, and behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing continually, and brightness all around it; and from its midst was something like the appearance of glowing metal, from the midst of the fire.

5And from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.

6Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.

7Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot, and they gleamed like the appearance of polished bronze.

8And they had human hands under their wings on their four sides; and the four of them had their faces and their wings.

9Their wings were joined, each to her sister. As they moved, they did not turn; each one went straight ahead.

10As for the likeness of their faces: each had a human face; the four had a lion’s face on the right side, the four had an ox’s face on the left side, and the four had an eagle’s face.

11And their faces and their wings were separated above; each had two joined to one another, and two covering their bodies.

12And each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; they did not turn as they went.

13And as for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches; it was moving about among the living creatures, and the fire had brightness, and from the fire lightning was coming forth.

14And the living creatures were running back and forth, like the appearance of lightning.

15As I looked at the living creatures, behold, one wheel was on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of their four faces.

16The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like the gleam of beryl, and the four of them had the same likeness; and their appearance and their workmanship were as if a wheel were within a wheel.

17As they went, they went in any of their four directions; they did not turn as they went.

18As for their rims, they were high and fearsome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around.

19When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

20Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went there; and the wheels were lifted up alongside them, because the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

21When they went, these went; and when they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up from above the earth, the wheels were lifted up alongside them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22And above the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, like the appearance of awe-inspiring ice, stretched out above their heads from above.

23And under the expanse their wings were straight, each one toward her sister. Each had two covering them, and each had two covering their bodies.

24And I heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty when they went, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

25And there was a sound from above the expanse that was over their heads; when they stood still, they let down their wings.

26And above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire stone; and above the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man above it.

27And I saw something like the appearance of glowing metal, like the appearance of fire all around within it, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw something like the appearance of fire, and brightness all around him.

28Like the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud on a 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 the voice of one speaking.