以西结书 1
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
以西结见异象
1 当三十年四月初五日,以西结[a]在迦巴鲁河边被掳的人中,天就开了,得见神的异象。 2 正是约雅斤王被掳去第五年四月初五日, 3 在迦勒底人之地迦巴鲁河边,耶和华的话特特临到布西的儿子祭司以西结,耶和华的灵[b]降在他身上。
见四活物
4 我观看,见狂风从北方刮来,随着有一朵包括闪烁火的大云,周围有光辉,从其中的火内发出好像光耀的精金。 5 又从其中显出四个活物的形象来,他们的形状是这样:有人的形象, 6 各有四个脸面、四个翅膀。 7 他们的腿是直的,脚掌好像牛犊之蹄,都灿烂如光明的铜。 8 在四面的翅膀以下有人的手。这四个活物的脸和翅膀乃是这样: 9 翅膀彼此相接,行走并不转身,俱各直往前行。 10 至于脸的形象,前面各有人的脸,右面各有狮子的脸,左面各有牛的脸,后面各有鹰的脸。 11 各展开上边的两个翅膀相接,各以下边的两个翅膀遮体。 12 他们俱各直往前行,灵往哪里去,他们就往哪里去,行走并不转身。 13 至于四活物的形象,就如烧着火炭的形状,又如火把的形状。火在四活物中间上去下来,这火有光辉,从火中发出闪电。 14 这活物往来奔走,好像电光一闪。
见四轮
15 我正观看活物的时候,见活物的脸旁各有一轮在地上。 16 轮的形状和颜色[c]好像水苍玉。四轮都是一个样式,形状和做法好像轮中套轮。 17 轮行走的时候,向四方都能直行,并不掉转。 18 至于轮辋,高而可畏,四个轮辋周围满有眼睛。 19 活物行走,轮也在旁边行走;活物从地上升,轮也都上升。 20 灵往哪里去,活物就往哪里去;活物上升,轮也在活物旁边上升,因为活物的灵在轮中。 21 那些行走,这些也行走;那些站住,这些也站住;那些从地上升,轮也在旁边上升,因为活物的灵在轮中。
22 活物的头以上有穹苍的形象,看着像可畏的水晶,铺张在活物的头以上。 23 穹苍以下,活物的翅膀直张,彼此相对,每活物有两个翅膀遮体。 24 活物行走的时候,我听见翅膀的响声,像大水的声音,像全能者的声音,也像军队哄嚷的声音。活物站住的时候,便将翅膀垂下。 25 在他们头以上的穹苍之上有声音;他们站住的时候,便将翅膀垂下。
见神荣光
26 在他们头以上的穹苍之上有宝座的形象,仿佛蓝宝石,在宝座形象以上有仿佛人的形状。 27 我见从他腰以上有仿佛光耀的精金,周围都有火的形状,又见从他腰以下有仿佛火的形状,周围也有光辉。 28 下雨的日子云中虹的形状怎样,周围光辉的形状也是怎样。这就是耶和华荣耀的形象。我一看见就俯伏在地,又听见一位说话的声音。
Ezekiel 1
Expanded Bible
Ezekiel’s Vision of Living Creatures
1 It was the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month [C of Ezekiel’s life, or of Nabopolassar’s reign, or since King Josiah’s reforms]. I was by the Kebar ·River [Canal; C a branch of the Euphrates River south of Babylon] among the ·people who had been carried away as captives [exiles]. The ·sky [heavens] opened, and I saw visions of God.
2 It was the fifth day of the month of the fifth year that King Jehoiachin had been ·a prisoner [in exile/captivity; C 593 bc; 2 Kin. 24:12, 15]. 3 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to Ezekiel son of Buzi in the land of the Babylonians by the Kebar ·River [Canal; 1:1]. There ·he felt the power of the Lord [L the hand of the Lord was on him].
4 When I looked, I saw a ·stormy wind [windstorm] coming from the north [C storms often represent the presence of God; Jer. 23:19]. There was a great cloud with ·a bright light [or lightning flashing] around it and ·fire flashing out of [or brightness all around] it. Something that looked like glowing ·metal [or amber] was in the center of the fire. 5 Inside ·the cloud [or the fire; L its midst] was what looked like four living creatures [Rev. 4:6–8], who ·were shaped like [had the appearance of] humans, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight. Their feet were like a calf’s hoofs and ·sparkled [gleamed] like ·polished [burnished] bronze [Rev. 1:15]. 8 The living creatures had human hands under their wings on their four sides. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and their wings touched each other. The living creatures did not turn when they moved, but each went straight ahead.
10 Their faces looked like this: Each living creature had ·a human face [or the face of a man] and the face of a lion on the right side and the face of an ox on the left side. And each one also had the face of an eagle. 11 That was what their faces looked like. Their wings were spread out above. Each had two wings that touched one of the other living creatures and two wings that covered its body. 12 Each went straight ahead. Wherever the ·spirit [or wind] would go, the living creatures would also go, without turning. 13 The living creatures looked like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire went back and forth among the living creatures. It was ·bright [radiant], and lightning flashed from it. 14 The living creatures ·ran [darted] back and forth like ·bolts [flashes] of lightning.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground by each of the living creatures with its four faces. 16 The wheels and ·the way they were made [their construction/structure] ·were like this [had this appearance]: They looked like sparkling ·chrysolite [or topaz; or beryl]. All four of them looked the same, like one wheel ·crossways inside [L in the middle of] another wheel. 17 When they moved, they went in any one of the four directions, without turning as they went. 18 The rims of the wheels were high and ·frightening [or awesome] and were full of eyes all around.
19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them. When the living creatures ·were lifted up [rose] from the ground, the wheels also ·were lifted up [rose]. 20 Wherever the ·spirit [or wind] would go, the living creatures would go. And the wheels ·were lifted up [rose] beside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved. When the living creatures stopped, the wheels stopped. And when the living creatures ·were lifted [rose] from the ground, the wheels ·were lifted [rose] beside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Now, ·over [stretched over] the heads of the living creatures was something like a ·dome [vault; expanse; or platform; Gen. 1:2] that sparkled like ·ice [crystal] and was ·frightening [or awesome]. 23 And under the ·dome [vault; expanse; or platform] the wings of the living creatures were stretched out straight toward one another. Each living creature also had two wings covering its body. 24 I heard the sound of their wings, like the ·roaring sound of the sea [L sound of many waters], as they moved. It was like the voice of ·God Almighty [L the Almighty], a ·roaring sound [tumult] like a noisy army. When the living creatures stopped, they lowered their wings.
25 A voice came from above the ·dome [vault; expanse; or platform] over the heads of the living creatures. When the living creatures stopped, they lowered their wings. 26 Now above the ·dome [vault; expanse; or platform] there was something that looked like a throne. It looked like ·a sapphire gem [or lapis lazuli]. And on the throne high above was a ·shape [form; figure] like a ·human [man]. 27 Then I noticed that from the waist up the shape looked like glowing ·metal [or amber] with fire inside. From the waist down it looked like fire, and a bright light was all around. 28 The surrounding ·glow [radiance; brightness] looked like the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day. ·It seemed to look like [L This was the appearance of the likeness of] the glory of the Lord [C his manifest presence]. So when I saw it, I ·bowed [fell] facedown on the ground and heard a voice speaking.
Ezekiel 1
New International Version
Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision
1 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.
2 On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin(E)— 3 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)
4 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) 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.(K) In appearance their form was human,(L) 6 but each of them had four faces(M) and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.(N) 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.(O) 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.(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
- Ezekiel 1:3 Or Chaldeans
- Ezekiel 1:24 Hebrew Shaddai
Ezekiel 1
New Catholic Bible
Call of the Prophet[a]
Chapter 1
The Vision of Four Living Creatures.[b] 1 [c]In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Chebar, the heavens opened, and I saw divine visions. 2 On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— 3 the word of the Lord came to the priest Ezekiel, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar. There the hand of the Lord was upon him.
4 [d]As I looked, I beheld a stormy wind coming from the north: an immense cloud with flashing fire and a brilliant light surrounding it. In the middle of the fire there was something that looked like gleaming amber.[e] 5 Within it, there seemed to be four living creatures with human forms.[f] 6 Each had four faces; each had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and they had hooves like those of a calf, sparkling with a gleam like that of burnished bronze.
8 Below their wings, they had human hands on their four sides. All four of them had faces and wings. 9 They touched one another with their wings. They did not turn as they moved; each of them moved straight ahead.
10 As for their faces, each of the four had the face of a man, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle. 11 Their wings were spread upward. Each creature had one wing touching the wing of another creature on either side, and two wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the Spirit wished them to go, they would do so; they never turned as they moved.
13 In the middle of the living creatures was what appeared to be burning coals of fire, like torches darting to and fro between the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning issued forth from the fire. 14 The living creatures kept disappearing and reappearing like flashes of lightning.
15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each of the four living creatures. 16 As for the appearance and the structure of the wheels, they all held the appearance of sparkling chrysolites, and all four of them looked alike; they were so constructed that each wheel appeared to have another wheel inside it. 17 They could move in any of the four directions they faced, without veering as they moved.
18 The four of them had rims that were awesome in their size, and those rims were filled with eyes all around. 19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose with them. 20 They moved in whatever direction the Spirit wished to go, and the wheels rose 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. When the creatures left the ground, the wheels also left the ground, for the Spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Over the heads of the living creatures, there was what appeared to be a firmament, glittering like crystal and spread out over their heads. 23 Beneath the firmament, their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another, and each of the creatures had two wings covering its body. 24 I also heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of mighty waters, like the thunder of the Almighty. When they moved, the sound was like the noise emanating from an armed camp. And when they stood still, they lowered their wings.[g]
25 And there came a voice from above the dome over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the dome over their heads there was something like a sapphire in the form of a throne, and seated high above the likeness of a throne there was a form with the appearance of a man.
27 Upward from what resembled his waist I beheld what looked like fire that gave forth a brilliant light all around. 28 The radiance of the encircling light was like a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day.
Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I beheld it, I prostrated myself on the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 1:1 Ezekiel, a priest of Jerusalem, is torn away from the temple and the worship that he loves, and joins the caravan of deportees whom Nebuchadnezzar drags off to Babylon after the first capitulation of Jerusalem in 598 B.C. At this time, Ezekiel is a contemporary of Jeremiah and has insight into the evils that are coming. The prophet denounces the infidelity of the people. Moreover, he cannot accept any longer the ancient idea of collective responsibility. He seeks rather to point out the personal responsibility of each individual.
- Ezekiel 1:1 During a vision that reminds us of the prophet Isaiah’s vision (Isa 6:1-13), Ezekiel, the poor “son of man,” is abruptly placed in the presence of the glory of the Lord. He suddenly understands the holiness of the God who seeks his people, even in exile, there on the banks of the Kebar. He understands, too, the tragic fate of this people whose sin can be removed only by being burned in fire (Deut 4:24; Isa 33:14; Heb 12:29).
- Ezekiel 1:1 We are introduced to an amazing narrative that is difficult to read because numerous additions have been made to the original version, either by the prophet himself or by one of his disciples. This can be seen even in these first three verses. Kebar is a wide, navigable canal of water leading from the Euphrates in Babylonia.
- Ezekiel 1:4 The prophet Isaiah had had the same vision, but his took place in the temple of Jerusalem (Isa 6). Ezekiel’s comes to him in the midst of pagan Babylonia. The vision comes from the north. It was from the north that the refugees had come: they left Palestine, skirted the Desert of Syria, and followed the Fertile Crescent. The “glory” of the Lord is no longer in the Jerusalem temple—and it is a priest who says so! Surrounding this glory of God as he comes are fantastic beings, represented in images taken from Babylonian art. The text adds details without restraint in order to show that God is present everywhere; the wheels, which are decorated with motifs using eyes, symbolize the Lord who sees and knows everything. These beings form a throne, as it were, for the glory of God. So great is the distance between God and human beings that the prophet does not have words to suggest the ineffable divine reality, but he nonetheless asserts its presence.
- Ezekiel 1:4 Amber: electron, a naturally occurring alloy of four-fifths gold and one-fifth silver, and amber in color; it is from amber that the Greek name is derived.
- Ezekiel 1:5 The four living beings are imagined as Assyro-Babylonian cherubim, who are regarded as servants of the various divinities and placed as guardians before temples and palaces.
- Ezekiel 1:24 The picture which Ezekiel paints fits in with the way in which the throne of God appears to Moses (Ex 24:10). The same images will be used in the Apocalypse (Ezek 4:2f).
Ezekiel 1
King James Version
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
3 The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.
4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.
19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.
23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, 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 bodies.
24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.
25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
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