Top of Page
Page Style
the thirteenth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
2 On the fifth day of the month – it was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile— 3 the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Chebar River in the land of the Chaldeans; and the hand of the Lord was on him there.
4 I looked, and I saw a whirlwind coming from the north, an immense cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light surrounding it. Out in the centre of the fire was a brilliance that resembled gleaming amber, 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had the form of a man, 6 but each of them had four faces, and each had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, and they sparkled like the gleam of burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had the hands of a man. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn as they moved, but each one went straight ahead.
10 As for the appearance of their faces, each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox, and the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. As for their wings, their wings were spread upward; each had two wings touching that of another, and two wings covering their bodies. 12 Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the Spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. 13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire and torches. Fire was moving back and forth among the living creatures; it was bright, with lightning coming out of it. 14 The creatures dashed back and forth like flashes of lightning.
15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each living creature with its four faces. 16 As for the appearance and structure of the wheels, they gleamed like beryl, and all four had the same form. Their appearance and operation was like a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they moved, they went in any one of the four directions without veering aside as they went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.
19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved, and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the Spirit would go, the creatures would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, the wheels also moved; when the creatures stood still, the wheels also stood still; and when the creatures rose from off the ground, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling like crystal, and awesome. 23 Under the expanse their wings were spread out straight, one toward the other. Each of them also had two wings covering their bodies. 24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, roaring like the sound of mighty waters, like the voice of the Almighty, and a commotion like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
25 A voice came from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. 26 Above the expanse over their heads was a throne that in appearance was like a sapphire stone, and high above on the throne was a figure who in appearance was like the form of a man. 27 I saw what appeared to be from His waist up something like gleaming amber, with what looked like fire enclosing all around and within. From what appeared to be His waist down I saw what looked like fire, and there was brilliant light all around Him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brilliant light all around Him.
This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw this, I fell face downward, and I heard the voice of the One who spoke.