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)

¹⁴ Each of the cherubim^(A) had four faces:^(B) One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a human being, the third the face of a lion,^(C) and the fourth the face of an eagle.^(D)

¹⁵ Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures^(E) I had seen by the Kebar River.^{(F) 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.^(G)

¹⁸ Then the glory^(H) of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim.^{(I) 19} While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them.^(J) They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory^(K) 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,^(L) and I realized that they were cherubim.