Ezekiel 1

1In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, while I was among the exiles by the Chebar 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 directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar River, and the hand of Yahweh was on him there.

4As I looked, I saw a storm wind coming from the north: a great cloud with fire flashing through it and brightness all around it, and in its center, in the middle of the fire, something like gleaming amber.

5From its center came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had a human likeness,

6but each one 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. They gleamed like polished bronze.

8Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them,

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

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

11Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Each had two wings that touched the wings of another, and two that covered their bodies.

12Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they went; they did not turn as they moved.

13As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. Fire moved back and forth among the living creatures; the fire was bright, and lightning flashed out of the fire.

14The living creatures darted back and forth like flashes of lightning.

15As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.

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

17When they moved, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went.

18Their rims were high and awe-inspiring, 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 rose from the ground, the wheels rose.

20Wherever the spirit would go, they went, wherever the spirit went, and the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

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

22Over the heads of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, gleaming like awe-inspiring crystal, stretched out over their heads above.

23Under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other. Each creature had two wings covering its body on one side, and each had two covering its body on the other side.

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

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

26Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire stone, and high above, on the likeness of the throne, was a likeness with the appearance of a human being.

27From what looked like his waist upward, I saw something like gleaming amber, with what looked like fire enclosing it all around; and from what looked like his waist downward, I saw what looked like fire, and there was brightness all around him.

28Like the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, 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 facedown, and I heard a voice speaking.