1 Now it happened in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month,
in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the
river 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 Yahweh came expressly to Ezekiel the
priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar;
and the hand of Yahweh 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 round about it, and out of the midst of it as it were glowing
metal, out of the midst of the fire. 5 Out of the midst of it came the
likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the
likeness of a man. 6 Everyone had four faces, and everyone 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
they four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 their wings were
joined one to another; they didn’t turn when they went; they went everyone
straight forward. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face
of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they
four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of
an eagle. 11 Their faces and their wings were separate above; two
wings of everyone were joined one to another, and two covered their
bodies. 12 They went everyone 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 forth lightning.
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 they
four 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 they four had their rims full of eyes round
about. 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: everyone 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 a host: 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 sapphire*1 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 round about, from
the appearance of his loins and upward; and from the appearance of his loins
and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was
brightness round about him. 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 Yahweh. When I
saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.
1 or, lapis lazuli
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