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The Vision of the Chariot

In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the River Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.(A) On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin),(B) the word of the Lord came to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar, and the hand of the Lord was on him there.

As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing forth continually and in the middle of the fire something like gleaming amber.(C) In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form.(D) Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.(E) Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot, and they sparkled like burnished bronze.(F) Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus:(G) their wings touched one another; each of them moved straight ahead, without turning as they moved. 10 As for the appearance of their faces: the four had the face of a human being, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle;(H) 11 such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies.(I) 12 Each moved straight ahead; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 In the middle of[a] the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright, and lightning issued from the fire.(J) 14 The living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.(K)

15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.[b](L) 16 As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl, and the four had the same form, their construction being something like a wheel within a wheel.(M) 17 When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without veering as they moved.(N) 18 Their rims were tall and awesome, for the rims of all four were full of eyes all around.(O) 19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.(P) 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for a living spirit was in the wheels.(Q) 21 When they moved, the others moved; when they stopped, the others stopped; and when they rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for a living spirit was in the wheels.(R)

22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was something like a dome, shining like crystal,[c] spread out above their heads.(S) 23 Under the dome their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another, and each of the creatures had two wings covering its body. 24 When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of mighty waters, like the thunder of the Almighty,[d] a sound of tumult like the sound of an army; when they stopped, they let down their wings.(T) 25 And there came a voice from above the dome over their heads; when they stopped, they let down their wings.

26 And above the dome over their heads there was something like a throne, in appearance like sapphire,[e] and seated above the likeness of the throne was something that seemed like a human form.(U) 27 Upward from what appeared like the loins I saw something like gleaming amber, something that looked like fire enclosed all around, and downward from what looked like the loins I saw something that looked like fire, and there was a splendor all around.(V) 28 Like the bow in a cloud on a rainy day, such was the appearance of the splendor all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.

When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.(W)

Footnotes

  1. 1.13 Gk OL: Heb And the appearance of
  2. 1.15 Heb of their faces
  3. 1.22 Gk: Heb like the awesome crystal
  4. 1.24 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
  5. 1.26 Or lapis lazuli

Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision

In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles(A) by the Kebar River,(B) the heavens were opened(C) and I saw visions(D) of God.

On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin(E) the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel(F) the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.[a] There the hand of the Lord was on him.(G)

I looked, and I saw a windstorm(H) coming out of the north(I)—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,(J) and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.(K) In appearance their form was human,(L) but each of them had four faces(M) and four wings. Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.(N) Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.(O) All four of them had faces and wings, and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.(P)

10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.(Q) 11 Such were their faces. They each had two wings(R) spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.(S) 13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals(T) of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning(U) flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.(V)

15 As I looked at the living creatures,(W) I saw a wheel(X) on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz,(Y) and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction(Z) as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes(AA) all around.

19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go,(AB) and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.(AC)

22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault,(AD) sparkling like crystal, and awesome. 23 Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing(AE) waters, like the voice(AF) of the Almighty,[b] like the tumult of an army.(AG) When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

25 Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne(AH) of lapis lazuli,(AI) and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.(AJ) 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.(AK) 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow(AL) in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.(AM)

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory(AN) of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown,(AO) and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:3 Or Chaldeans
  2. Ezekiel 1:24 Hebrew Shaddai

God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem

10 Then I looked, and above the dome that was over the heads of the cherubim there appeared above them something like a sapphire,[a] in form resembling a throne.(A) He said to the man clothed in linen, “Go within the wheelwork underneath the cherubim; fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.” He went in as I looked on.(B) Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the house when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court.(C) Then the glory of the Lord rose up from the cherub to the entryway of the temple; the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the glory of the Lord.(D) The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty[b] when he speaks.(E)

When he commanded the man clothed in linen, “Take fire from within the wheelwork, from among the cherubim,” he went in and stood beside a wheel. And a cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim to the fire that was among the cherubim, took some of it, and put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who took it and went out. The cherubim appeared to have the form of a human hand under their wings.

I looked, and there were four wheels beside the cherubim, one beside each cherub, and the appearance of the wheels was like gleaming beryl.(F) 10 And as for their appearance, the four looked alike, something like a wheel within a wheel. 11 When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without veering as they moved, but in whatever direction the front wheel faced, the others followed without veering as they moved. 12 Their entire bodies—backs, hands, and wings—were covered with eyes all around, as were the wheels of the four of them.(G) 13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing “the wheelwork.” 14 Each one had four faces: the first face was that of the cherub, the second face was that of a human, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.(H)

15 The cherubim rose up. These were the living creatures that I saw by the River Chebar. 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to rise up from the earth, the wheels at their side did not veer.(I) 17 When they stopped, the others stopped, and when they rose up, the others rose up with them, for a living spirit was in them.(J)

18 Then the glory of the Lord went out from the entryway of the temple and stopped above the cherubim. 19 The cherubim lifted up their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight as they went out with the wheels beside them. They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the house of the Lord, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.(K)

20 These were the living creatures that I saw underneath the God of Israel by the River Chebar, and I knew that they were cherubim.(L) 21 Each had four faces, each four wings, and underneath their wings something like human hands.(M) 22 As for what their faces were like, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the River Chebar. Each one moved straight ahead.(N)

Footnotes

  1. 10.1 Or lapis lazuli
  2. 10.5 Traditional rendering of Heb El Shaddai

God’s Glory Departs From the Temple

10 I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne(A) of lapis lazuli(B) above the vault(C) that was over the heads of the cherubim.(D) The Lord said to the man clothed in linen,(E) “Go in among the wheels(F) beneath the cherubim. Fill(G) your hands with burning coals(H) from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.

Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of the Lord(I) rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord. The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court, like the voice(J) of God Almighty[a] when he speaks.(K)

When the Lord commanded the man in linen, “Take fire from among the wheels,(L) from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel. Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand to the fire(M) that was among them. He took up some of it and put it into the hands of the man in linen, who took it and went out. (Under the wings of the cherubim could be seen what looked like human hands.)(N)

I looked, and I saw beside the cherubim four wheels, one beside each of the cherubim; the wheels sparkled like topaz.(O) 10 As for their appearance, the four of them looked alike; each was like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 11 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the cherubim faced; the wheels did not turn about[b] as the cherubim went. The cherubim went in whatever direction the head faced, without turning as they went. 12 Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes,(P) as were their four wheels.(Q) 13 I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.” 14 Each of the cherubim(R) had four faces:(S) One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a human being, the third the face of a lion,(T) and the fourth the face of an eagle.(U)

15 Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures(V) I had seen by the Kebar River.(W) 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not leave their side. 17 When the cherubim stood still, they also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in them.(X)

18 Then the glory(Y) of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim.(Z) 19 While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them.(AA) They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory(AB) of the God of Israel was above them.

20 These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River,(AC) and I realized that they were cherubim. 21 Each had four faces(AD) and four wings,(AE) and under their wings was what looked like human hands. 22 Their faces had the same appearance as those I had seen by the Kebar River.(AF) Each one went straight ahead.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 10:5 Hebrew El-Shaddai
  2. Ezekiel 10:11 Or aside