Ezekiel 1-3
Complete Jewish Bible
1 In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the K’var River, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 2 On the fifth day of the month, which was during the fifth year of King Y’hoyakhin’s exile, 3 the word of Adonai came to the cohen Yechezk’el son of Buzi, in the land of the Kasdim by the K’var River; there the hand of Adonai was on him.
4 I looked and saw a windy storm approaching from the north and a huge cloud with flashing fire, glowing brightly all around with the color of gleaming amber from within the fire. 5 Inside, there appeared to be four living creatures that looked like human beings; 6 but each one had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, with feet like calves’ hoofs. They glittered like burnished bronze. 8 Beneath their wings they had human hands on their four sides. The four of them had faces and wings as follows: 9 they touched one another with their wings; they did not turn when they moved, but each one moved straight forward; 10 as for the appearance of their faces, they had human faces [in front], each of the four had a lion’s face on the right, each of the four had a bull’s face on the left, and each of the four had an eagle’s face [toward the rear] — 11 thus their faces. As for their wings, each had two that stretched upward and joined those of others, and two more that covered their bodies. 12 Each [living creature] moved in the direction of any of its faces; in whichever direction the spirit wanted to go, they went, without turning as they moved — 13 thus the appearance of the living creatures.
With them was something that looked like fiery coals burning the way torches do, with the fire flashing here and there between the living creatures; the fire had a brilliance, and out of the fire went lightning. 14 The living creatures kept speeding here and there like flashes of lightning.
15 As I gazed at the living creatures, I saw wheels on the ground, one next to each of the four-faced living creatures. 16 All four wheels looked the same: their inner parts gleamed like beryl, and their structure seemed to be that of a wheel inside a wheel. 17 When they moved, they could go in any of the four directions without turning as they moved. 18 Their rims were tall and fearsome, because the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. 19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved along with them; and when the creatures were lifted off the ground, the wheels went with them. 20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went, in the direction the spirit wanted to go. The wheels were lifted up next to them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When [the living creatures] moved, [the wheels] moved; when the former stood still, the latter stood still; and when the former were lifted off the ground, the wheels were lifted up next to them; because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Over the heads of the living creatures was what appeared to be a dome glittering like ice; it was awesome, spread out over their heads, above them. 23 Under the dome each had a pair of wings spread out straight toward those of others, and each had a pair which covered his body. 24 I heard the sound of their wings when they moved; it was like the sound of rushing water, like the voice of Shaddai, like the noise of a tumultuous crowd or army. When they stopped, they lowered their wings. 25 Whenever there was a sound from above the dome over their heads, they stopped and lowered their wings.
26 Above the dome that was over their heads was something like a throne that looked like a sapphire. On it, above it, was what appeared to be a person. 27 I saw what looked like gleaming, amber-colored fire radiating from what appeared to be his waist upward. Downward from what appeared to be his waist, I saw what looked like fire, giving a brilliant light all around him. 28 This brilliance around him looked like a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was how the appearance of the glory of Adonai looked. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.
2 He said to me, “Human being! Stand up! I want to speak with you!” 2 As he spoke to me, a spirit entered me and put me on my feet, and I heard him who was speaking to me. 3 He said, “Human being! I am sending you to the people of Isra’el, that nation of rebels who have rebelled against me — they and their ancestors have been transgressing against me to this very day. 4 Because they are defiant, hardhearted children, I am sending you; and you are to tell them, ‘Here is what Adonai Elohim says.’ 5 Whether they listen or not, this rebellious house will still know that a prophet has been among them!
6 “As for you, human being, don’t be afraid of them or their words, even if briars and thorns surround you, and you sit among scorpions. Don’t be afraid of their words or be upset by their looks, for they are a rebellious house. 7 You are to speak my words to them, whether they listen or not, for they are very rebellious. 8 But you, human being, hear what I am telling you: don’t you be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth, and eat what I am about to give you.”
9 When I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me, holding a scroll. 10 He spread it out in front of me, and it was covered with writing front and back. Written on it were laments, dirges and woes.
3 He said to me, “Human being, eat what you see in front of you; eat this scroll. Then go and speak to the house of Isra’el.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat, 3 as he said, “Human being, eat this scroll I am giving you; fill your insides with it.” When I ate it, it tasted as sweet as honey.
4 “Human being,” he said to me, “go to the house of Isra’el, and speak my words to them. 5 For you are not being sent to a people with a difficult language and unintelligible speech, but to the house of Isra’el — 6 not to many peoples with difficult languages and unintelligible speech, whose words you can’t understand when you hear them. Without doubt, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you. 7 But the house of Isra’el will not be willing to listen to you, because they aren’t willing to listen to me; since all the house of Isra’el are obstinate and hardhearted. 8 However, I am making you as defiant and obstinate as they are. 9 Yes, I am making your resoluteness harder than flint, as hard as a diamond. So don’t be afraid of them or depressed by how they look at you, because they are a rebellious house.”
10 Then he said to me, “Human being, receive in your heart and hear with your ears all my words that I speak to you. 11 Then go to the exiles, to your countrymen; and speak to them. Tell them, ‘Here is what Adonai Elohim, says,’ whether they listen or not.”
12 A spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a very loud sound — blessed be the glory of Adonai from his place! 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they beat against each other, and the sound of the wheels next to them, a very loud sound. 14 So a spirit lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness and the heat of my spirit, with the hand of Adonai strong on me.
15 I went to the exiles who were living in Tel-Aviv, by the K’var River and stayed with them there in a stupefied state for seven days. 16 After seven days the word of Adonai came to me: 17 “Human being, I have appointed you to be a watchman for the house of Isra’el. When you hear a word from my mouth, you are to warn them for me. 18 If I say to a wicked person, ‘You will certainly die’; and you fail to warn him, to speak and warn the wicked person to leave his wicked way and save his life; then that wicked person will die guilty; and I will hold you responsible for his death. 19 On the other hand, if you warn the wicked person, and he doesn’t turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, then he will still die guilty; but you will have saved your own life. 20 Similarly, when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, I will place a stumblingblock before him — he will die; because you failed to warn him, he will die in his sin; his righteous acts which he did will not be remembered; and I will hold you responsible for his death. 21 But if you warn the righteous person that a righteous person should not sin, and he doesn’t sin; then he will certainly live, because he took the warning; and you too will have saved your life.”
22 The hand of Adonai came on me there, and he said to me, “Get up, go out to the valley, and I will speak with you there.” 23 So I got up and went out to the valley. The glory of Adonai was there, like the glory I had seen by the K’var River; and I fell on my face. 24 A spirit entered me and put me on my feet. Then he spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25 Human being, you are going to be bound with ropes, unable to go out among the people. 26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, so that you will be mute, unable to reprove them; for they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth; and you will say to them, ‘This is what Adonai Elohim says.’ Whoever is inclined to listen will listen, and whoever is inclined to refuse will refuse, because they are a rebellious house.
Yechezkel 1-3
Orthodox Jewish Bible
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, while I was among those of the Golus by the Nahar Kevar, that Shomayim was opened, and I saw mar’ot Elohim.
2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of the Golus of HaMelech Yoyakhin [593 B.C.E.},
3 The Devar Hashem came expressly unto Yechezkel the kohen, ben Buzi, in Eretz Kasdim (Chaldeans) by the Nahar Kevar; and the Yad Hashem was there upon him.
4 And I looked, and, hinei, a ruach se’arah came out of the tzafon, an anan gadol, and flashing fire, with brilliant light all about it, and out of the midst thereof something gleaming, shining out of the midst of the eish.
5 Also out of the midst thereof came the demut (likeness) of four Chayos. And this was their appearance: they had the demut adam.
6 And every one had arba’ah panim, and every one had arba kenafayim.
7 And their regalim were regel yesharah; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a regel egel; and they gleamed like the shining of burnished nechoshet.
8 And they had the hands of an adam under their kenafayim on their four sides; and they four had their panim and their kenafayim.
9 Their kenafayim were joined one to another; they turned not as they went; they went every one face forward.
10 As for the demut of their panim, they four had the face of an adam, and the face of an aryeh, on the right side; and they four had the face of a shor on the left side; they four also had the face of a nesher.
11 Thus were their panim; and their kenafayim were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their geviyot.
12 And they went every one face forward; whither the Ruach was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
13 As for the demut of the Chayos, their appearance was like coals of eish burning, and like the appearance of lapidim (torches); it spread back and forth among the Chayos; and the eish was brilliant, and out of the eish went forth barak (lightning).
14 And the Chayos ran and returned as the appearance of bazak (a flash of lightning).
15 Now as I beheld the Chayos, hinei there was one Ofan ba’aretz etzel the Chayos, with its four panim.
16 The appearance of the Ofanim and their making was like unto the color of tarshish; and they four had one demut; and their appearance and their making was as it were an Ofan within an Ofan.
17 Arba’at (four) sidedly they went; and they turned not as they went.
18 As for their rims, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rims were mele’ot einayim saviv (full of eyes round about) the four of them.
19 And when the Chayos went, the Ofanim went beside them; and when the Chayos were lifted up from ha’aretz, the Ofanim were lifted up.
20 Whithersoever the Ruach was to go, they went, thither was the Ruach to go; and the Ofanim were lifted facing them; for Ruach HaChayah was in the Ofanim.
21 When those went, these went; and when those stood still, these stood still; and when those were lifted up from ha’aretz, the Ofanim were lifted up facing them; for the Ruach HaChayah was in the Ofanim.
22 And the demut of the raki’a upon the rashei HaChayah was as the color of terrible ice crystal, spread out upward above their rashim.
23 And under the raki’a were their kenafayim stretched out, 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 geviyot.
24 And when they went, I heard the kol of their kenafayim, like the kol of mayim rabbim, as the Kol Shaddai, the voice of a tumult, as the sound of a machaneh; when they stood still, they let down their kenafayim.
25 And there was a kol (voice) from the raki’a that was over their rosh, when they stood still, and had let down their kenafayim.
26 And above the raki’a that was over their rosh was the demut kisse, as the appearance of a precious stone, a sapphire; and upon the demut hakisse was the demut like the appearance of adam above upon it.
27 And I saw something gleaming, shining out like the appearance of eish; inside it all around, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw something like the appearance of eish, and it had radiance all around.
28 As the appearance of the keshet (rainbow) that is in the anan in yom hageshem, so was the appearance of the radiance all around. This was the appearance of the demut Kavod Hashem. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.
2 And He said unto me, Ben Adam, stand upon thy raglayim, and I will speak unto thee.
2 And the Ruach [Hakodesh] entered into me just as He spoke unto me, and stood me upon my raglayim, that I heard Him that spoke unto me.
3 And He said unto me, Ben Adam, I send thee to the Bnei Yisroel, to Goyim HaMoredim (Rebellious Nations [Tribes]) that hath rebelled against Me; they and their Avot have rebelled against Me, even unto this very day.
4 For they are stubborn banim and chizkei lev (stiffhearted). I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem.
5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will refrain from heeding— for they are a bais meri (house of rebellion), yet shall they know that there hath been a navi among them.
6 And thou, Ben Adam, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their devarim, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among akrabim (scorpions); be not afraid of their devarim, nor be afraid at their looks, for they are a bais meri.
7 And thou shalt speak My devarim unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will refrain from heeding; for they are meri (rebellious).
8 But thou, Ben Adam, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou meri (rebellious) like that bais hameri (rebellious house). Open thy mouth and eat what I give thee.
9 And when I looked, hinei, a yad was sent unto me; and, hinei, a megillat sefer was therein;
10 And He unrolled the megillah before me; and it was written on front and back: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
3 Moreover He said unto me, Ben Adam, eat that thou findest; eat this megillah, and go speak unto Bais Yisroel.
2 So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that megillah.
3 And He said unto me, Ben Adam, cause thy beten to eat, and fill thy bowels with this megillah that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as devash for sweetness.
4 And He said unto me, Ben Adam, go, get thee unto the Bais Yisroel, and speak My words unto them.
5 For thou art not sent to an Am Imkei Safah (a people of indecipherable language) and of obscure lashon, but to Bais Yisroel;
6 Not to amim rabbim of indecipherable language and obscure lashon whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have paid heed unto thee.
7 But Bais Yisroel will not pay heed unto thee; for they will not pay heed unto Me; for kol Bais Yisroel are khizkei metzach (hard-set of brow) and keshei-lev (hard-hearted).
8 Hinei, I have made thy face chazakim against their faces, and thy metzach chazak (forehead strong) against their metzach.
9 As a shamir (adamant, hardest stone) more chazak than flint have I made thy metzach (forehead); fear them not, neither be terrified at their looks, though they be a bais meri (house of rebellion).
10 Moreover He said unto me, Ben Adam, all My words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine lev, and hear with thine oznayim.
11 And go, get thee to them of the Golus, unto the Bnei Amecha, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem; whether they will hear, or whether they will refrain.
12 Then the Ruach [Hakodesh] lifted me and took me up, and I heard behind me a kol ra’ash gadol (a voice of a great rustling), saying, Baruch Kavod Hashem from His makom (place, home).
13 I heard also the noise of the wings of the Chayos that touched one another, and the noise of the Ofanim (wheels) opposite them, and a voice of ra’ash gadol.
14 So the Ruach [Hakodesh] lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in mar (bitterness), in the anger of my ruach; but the yad Hashem was chazah upon me.
15 Then I came to them of the Golus at Tel Aviv, that dwelt by the Nahar Kevar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there speechlessly astounded among them shivat yamim.
16 And it came to pass at the end of shivat yamim, that the Devar Hashem came unto me, saying,
17 Ben Adam, I have made thee a tzofeh (watchman) unto the Bais Yisroel; therefore hear the word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me.
18 When I say unto the rasha, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the rasha from his derech harasha’ah, to save his life; the same rasha shall die in his avon; but I will hold accountable thine yad for his dahm.
19 Yet if thou warn the rasha, and he turn not from his resha, nor from his derech harasha’ah, he shall die in his avon; but thou hast saved thy nefesh.
20 Again, When a tzaddik doth turn from his tzedek, and commit evil, and I lay a michshol (stumbling block of temptation) before him, he shall die; because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his chattat, and his tzidkot which he hath worked shall not be remembered; but I will hold accountable thine yad for his dahm.
21 Nevertheless if thou warn the tzaddik, that the tzaddik sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast saved thy nefesh.
22 And the Yad Hashem (Hand, Power of Hashem) was there upon me; and He said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there speak with thee.
23 Then I arose, and went forth into the plain; and, hinei, the Kavod Hashem stood there, as the Kavod which I saw by the Nahar Kevar; I fell on my face.
24 Then the Ruach [Hakodesh] entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spoke with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself in the confines of thine bais.
25 But thou, O Ben Adam, hinei, they tied on thee ropes, and have bound thee with them, that thou canst not go out among them;
26 And I will make thy leshon cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be mute, and shalt not be to them an ish mokhi’ach (admonisher); for they are a bais meri.
27 But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that refuseth, let him refuse; for they are a bais meri.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
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