以西结的异象

第三十年四月五日,我正在迦巴鲁河畔被掳的人当中,忽然天开了,我看见了上帝的异象。 那是约雅斤王被掳第五年的四月五日, 就在迦勒底人境内的迦巴鲁河畔,耶和华的话特别传给了布西的儿子以西结祭司,耶和华的能力[a]降在他身上。

在异象中,我看见一阵狂风从北方刮来,随后有一大朵云闪耀着火光,四周环绕着灿烂的光芒,火的中心像发光的金属。 火中有四个像人形的活物, 每个活物有四张不同的面孔和四个翅膀。 他们的腿是直的,脚如同牛犊的蹄,都亮如磨光的铜。 四面的翅膀下都有人的手,四个活物都有脸和翅膀, 翅膀彼此相连。他们移动时不必转身,各朝前面移动。 10 四个活物的面孔是这样的:正面是人的脸,右面是狮子的脸,左面是牛的脸,后面是鹰的脸。 11 他们的翅膀向上展开,每个活物的一对翅膀与其他活物的翅膀相连,另外一对翅膀遮蔽身体。 12 耶和华的灵往哪里去,他们也往哪里去,移动时不用转身。 13 四个活物的形象如燃烧的火炭,又像火把。活物之间有火上下移动,发出耀眼的闪电。 14 这些活物像闪电一样往来飞驰。

15 当我观看这些活物的时候,发现每个活物旁边的地上都有一个轮子。 16 四个轮子的形状和结构都一样,好像轮套轮,如同闪耀的绿宝石。 17 他们可以向四面移动,移动时轮子不必转向。 18 轮圈高而可畏,周围布满了眼睛。 19 活物行走,轮子也在旁边行走;活物上升,轮子也上升。 20 灵往哪里去,活物也往哪里去,轮子也跟着往哪里去,因为活物的灵在轮子里。 21 活物行走,轮子也行走;活物站立不动,轮子也站立不动;活物上升,轮子也跟着上升,因为活物的灵在轮子里。

22 活物的头上好像铺展着茫茫的穹苍,如同顶着耀眼的水晶。 23 穹苍下四个活物伸展翅膀,彼此相对,各用两个翅膀遮蔽身体。 24 他们移动时,翅膀发出的响声如洪涛之声,既像全能者的声音,又像军队的呐喊。活物站住的时候,便将翅膀垂下。 25 他们站立垂下翅膀时,有声音从他们头顶的穹苍之上传来。

26 在他们头顶的穹苍之上仿佛有蓝宝石的宝座,有一位形状像人的高高坐在宝座上。 27 我看到祂的腰部以上好像烧红发亮的金属,好像有火四面环绕。腰部以下如同火焰。祂周围有耀眼的光辉, 28 仿佛雨天云中的彩虹。

这是耶和华荣耀的形象。我一看见,便俯伏在地,随后听见有说话的声音。

Footnotes

  1. 1:3 能力”希伯来文是“手”。

The Vision of Four Figures

Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the (A)river Chebar among the exiles, the (B)heavens were opened and I saw [a](C)visions of God. (On the fifth of the month [b]in the (D)fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile, the (E)word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the (F)land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there (G)the hand of the Lord came upon him.)

As I looked, behold, a (H)storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like (I)glowing metal in the midst of the fire. Within it there were figures resembling (J)four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human (K)form. Each of them had (L)four faces and (M)four wings. Their legs were straight and [c]their feet were like a calf’s hoof, and they gleamed like (N)burnished bronze. Under their wings on their (O)four sides were human (P)hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, their wings touched one another; their faces did (Q)not turn when they moved, each (R)went straight forward. 10 As for the (S)form of their faces, each had the (T)face of a man; [d]all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and [e]all four had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another being, and (U)two covering their bodies. 12 And (V)each went straight forward; (W)wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went. 13 [f]In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of (X)fire, [g]like torches darting back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was [h]flashing from the fire. 14 And the living beings (Y)ran to and fro like bolts of (Z)lightning.

15 Now as I looked at the living beings, behold, there was one (AA)wheel on the earth beside the living beings, [i]for each of the four of them. 16 The (AB)appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like [j]sparkling (AC)beryl, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if [k]one wheel were within another. 17 Whenever they [l]moved, they [m]moved in any of their four [n]directions without (AD)turning as they [o]moved. 18 As for their rims they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were (AE)full of eyes round about. 19 (AF)Whenever the living beings [p]moved, the wheels [q]moved with them. And whenever the living beings (AG)rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. 20 (AH)Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction[r]. And the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living [s]beings was in the wheels. 21 (AI)Whenever those went, these went; and whenever those stood still, these stood still. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living [t]beings was in the wheels.

Vision of Divine Glory

22 Now (AJ)over the heads of the living [u]beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of [v]crystal, spread out over their heads. 23 Under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other; each one also had (AK)two wings covering its body on the one side and on the other. 24 I also heard the sound of their wings like the (AL)sound of abundant waters as they went, like the (AM)voice of [w]the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the (AN)sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. 25 And there came a voice from above the (AO)expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings.

26 Now (AP)above the expanse that was over their heads there was something (AQ)resembling a throne, like [x](AR)lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a (AS)man. 27 Then I [y]noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something (AT)like [z]glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. 28 As the appearance of the (AU)rainbow [aa]in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the (AV)glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I (AW)fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:1 Some ancient mss and versions read a vision
  2. Ezekiel 1:2 Lit it was
  3. Ezekiel 1:7 Lit the soles of their feet
  4. Ezekiel 1:10 Lit the four of them
  5. Ezekiel 1:10 Lit the four of them
  6. Ezekiel 1:13 So with some ancient versions; Heb as the likeness of the living beings
  7. Ezekiel 1:13 Lit like the appearance of
  8. Ezekiel 1:13 Lit coming out
  9. Ezekiel 1:15 Lit for his four faces
  10. Ezekiel 1:16 Lit the look of beryl
  11. Ezekiel 1:16 Lit the wheel in the midst of the wheel
  12. Ezekiel 1:17 Lit went
  13. Ezekiel 1:17 Lit went
  14. Ezekiel 1:17 Lit sides
  15. Ezekiel 1:17 Lit went
  16. Ezekiel 1:19 Lit went
  17. Ezekiel 1:19 Lit went
  18. Ezekiel 1:20 M.T. adds the spirit to go
  19. Ezekiel 1:20 M.T. reads being
  20. Ezekiel 1:21 M.T. reads being
  21. Ezekiel 1:22 So some ancient mss and versions; M.T. reads being
  22. Ezekiel 1:22 Or ice
  23. Ezekiel 1:24 Heb Shaddai
  24. Ezekiel 1:26 Heb eben-sappir
  25. Ezekiel 1:27 Lit saw
  26. Ezekiel 1:27 Or electrum
  27. Ezekiel 1:28 Lit which occurs in

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

Ezekiel’s Vision of God

Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by (A)the River Chebar, that (B)the heavens were opened and I saw (C)visions[a] of God. On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the [b]Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and (D)the hand of the Lord was upon him there.

Then I looked, and behold, (E)a whirlwind was coming (F)out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. (G)Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And (H)this was their appearance: they had (I)the likeness of a man. Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. Their [c]legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled (J)like the color of burnished bronze. (K)The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight (L)forward.

10 As for (M)the likeness of their faces, each (N)had the face of a man; each of the four had (O)the face of a lion on the right side, (P)each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, (Q)and each of the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and (R)two covered their bodies. 12 And (S)each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.

13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, (T)like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. 14 And the living creatures ran back and forth, (U)in appearance like a flash of lightning.

15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, (V)a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. 16 (W)The appearance of the wheels and their workings was (X)like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 17 When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. 18 As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were (Y)full of eyes, all around the four of them. 19 (Z)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. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, (AA)for the spirit of the [d]living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the [e]living creatures was in the wheels.

22 (AB)The likeness of the [f]firmament above the heads of the [g]living creatures was like the color of an awesome (AC)crystal, stretched out (AD)over their heads. 23 And under the firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body. 24 (AE)When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, (AF)like the noise of many waters, like (AG)the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 A voice came from above the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let down their wings.

26 (AH)And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, (AI)in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above (AJ)it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward (AK)I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 (AL)Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. (AM)This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.

Ezekiel Sent to Rebellious Israel

So when I saw it, (AN)I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:1 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; Syr., Tg. a vision
  2. Ezekiel 1:3 Or Babylonians, and so elsewhere in the book
  3. Ezekiel 1:7 Lit. feet
  4. Ezekiel 1:20 Lit. living creature; LXX, Vg. spirit of life; Tg. creatures
  5. Ezekiel 1:21 See note at v. 20
  6. Ezekiel 1:22 Or expanse
  7. Ezekiel 1:22 So with LXX, Tg., Vg.; MT living creature