Ezekiel 1

1Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourthmonth, in the fifthdayof the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

1On the fifth day of the fourth month in the thirtieth year, while I was among the exiles by the Chebar River, the heavens opened and I saw visions from God.

2In the fifthdayof the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,

2This happened on the fifth day of the month, during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile.

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

3The word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Babylonians by the Chebar River. There the power of the LORD came upon him.

4And I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire infolding itself, and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst thereof as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire.

4As I looked, I saw a great storm wind coming from the north. It was a huge cloud with fire flashing back and forth and a brilliant light surrounding it. In the center of the fire, it looked like glowing metal.

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

5From inside the fire, four living creatures appeared. They looked like they had human forms,

6and every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings.

6but each one had four faces and four wings.

7And 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.

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

8And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings thus:

8Under their wings on all four sides, they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings like this:

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

9Their wings touched each other. They did not turn as they moved; each one went straight forward.

10As 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.

10This is what their faces looked like: Each of the four had a human face in the front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle in the back.

11And their faces and their wings were separate above; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

11That is what their faces were like. Their wings were spread out above them; two wings touched the wings of the creature next to them, while the other two wings covered their bodies.

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

12Each creature moved straight ahead. They went wherever the spirit directed them, and 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: the fire went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

13The living creatures looked like burning coals or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it.

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

14The creatures darted back and forth as fast as flashes of lightning.

15Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces thereof.

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

16The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto a beryl: and they four had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.

16The wheels looked like they were made of sparkling chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each wheel appeared to be constructed like a wheel inside another wheel.

17When they went, they went in their four directions: they turned not when they went.

17When they moved, they could go in any of the four directions without turning as they went.

18As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes round about.

18The rims of the wheels were high and awesome, and all four rims were covered with eyes all the way around.

19And 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.

19When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them. When the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose.

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

20Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose with them because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

21When 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.

21When 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 with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22And over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the terrible crystal to look upon, stretched forth over their heads above.

22Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was something like a dome. It sparkled like amazing crystal and was terrifying to look at.

23And 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.

23Under this dome, their wings were stretched out straight toward each other. Each creature also had two wings covering its body.

24And 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.

24When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings. It was like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, or like the noise of a shouting army. When they stopped, they lowered their wings.

25And there was a voice above the firmament that was over their heads: when they stood, they let down their wings.

25Then a voice came from above the dome that was over their heads while they stood with their wings lowered.

26And 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 a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above.

26Above the dome over their heads was something that looked like a throne made of sapphire. High above on the throne was a figure that looked like a man.

27And 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.

27From what looked like his waist upward, I saw something like glowing metal that looked as if it were filled with fire. From his waist downward, I saw what looked like fire, and a brilliant light surrounded him.

28As 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 Jehovah. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

28The brilliant light surrounding him looked like a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell face down, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.