⁴ I looked, and I saw a windstorm^(A) coming out of the north^(B)—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,^{(C) 5} and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.^(D) In appearance their form was human,^{(E) 6} but each of them had four faces^(F) and four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.^{(G) 8} Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.^(H) All four of them had faces and wings, ⁹ and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.^(I)

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.^{(J) 11} Such were their faces. They each had two wings^(K) 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.^{(L) 13} The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals^(M) of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning^(N) flashed out of it. ¹⁴ The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.^(O)

² I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man.^[a] From what appeared to be his waist down he was like fire, and from there up his appearance was as bright as glowing metal.^{(A) 3} He stretched out what looked like a hand^(B) and took me by the hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up^(C) between earth and heaven and in visions^(D) of God he took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court,^(E) where the idol that provokes to jealousy^(F) stood. ⁴ And there before me was the glory^(G) of the God of Israel, as in the vision I had seen in the plain.^(H)

⁵ Then he said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol^(I) of jealousy.

⁶ And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing—the utterly detestable^(J) things the Israelites are doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary?^(K) But you will see things that are even more detestable.”

⁷ Then he brought me to the entrance to the court. I looked, and I saw a hole in the wall. ⁸ He said to me, “Son of man, now dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and saw a doorway there.

⁹ And he said to me, “Go in and see the wicked and detestable things they are doing here.” ¹⁰ So I went in and looked, and I saw portrayed all over the walls^(L) all kinds of crawling things and unclean^(M) animals and all the idols of Israel.^{(N) 11} In front of them stood seventy elders^(O) of Israel, and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was standing among them. Each had a censer^(P) in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense^(Q) was rising.^(R)

¹² He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness,^(S) each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord does not see^(T) us; the Lord has forsaken the land.’” ¹³ Again, he said, “You will see them doing things that are even more detestable.”

¹⁴ Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the Lord, and I saw women sitting there, mourning the god Tammuz.^(U)

²⁴ The Spirit^(A) lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia^[a] in the vision^(B) given by the Spirit of God.

Then the vision I had seen went up from me,

²⁵ and I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.^(A)

The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was on me,^(A) and he brought me out by the Spirit^(B) of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley;^(C) it was full of bones.^{(D) 2} He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. ³ He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.^(E)”

⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!^{(F) 5} This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath^[a] enter you, and you will come to life.^{(G) 6} I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(H)’”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

⁹ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath;^(I) prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds^(J) and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded^(K) me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.^(L)