Ezekiel 1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Vision of the Chariot
1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the River Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.(A) 2 On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin),(B) 3 the word of the Lord came to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar, and the hand of the Lord was on him there.
4 As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing forth continually and in the middle of the fire something like gleaming amber.(C) 5 In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form.(D) 6 Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.(E) 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot, and they sparkled like burnished bronze.(F) 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus:(G) 9 their wings touched one another; each of them moved straight ahead, without turning as they moved. 10 As for the appearance of their faces: the four had the face of a human being, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle;(H) 11 such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies.(I) 12 Each moved straight ahead; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 In the middle of[a] the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright, and lightning issued from the fire.(J) 14 The living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.(K)
15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.[b](L) 16 As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl, and the four had the same form, their construction being something like a wheel within a wheel.(M) 17 When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without veering as they moved.(N) 18 Their rims were tall and awesome, for the rims of all four were full of eyes all around.(O) 19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.(P) 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for a living spirit was in the wheels.(Q) 21 When they moved, the others moved; when they stopped, the others stopped; and when they rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for a living spirit was in the wheels.(R)
22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was something like a dome, shining like crystal,[c] spread out above their heads.(S) 23 Under the dome their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another, and each of the creatures had two wings covering its body. 24 When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of mighty waters, like the thunder of the Almighty,[d] a sound of tumult like the sound of an army; when they stopped, they let down their wings.(T) 25 And there came a voice from above the dome over their heads; when they stopped, they let down their wings.
26 And above the dome over their heads there was something like a throne, in appearance like sapphire,[e] and seated above the likeness of the throne was something that seemed like a human form.(U) 27 Upward from what appeared like the loins I saw something like gleaming amber, something that looked like fire enclosed all around, and downward from what looked like the loins I saw something that looked like fire, and there was a splendor all around.(V) 28 Like the bow in a cloud on a rainy day, such was the appearance of the splendor all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.(W)
Ezekiel 1
1599 Geneva Bible
Ezekiel
1 1 The time wherein Ezekiel prophesied, in what place. 3 His kindred. 5 The vision of the four beasts. 26 The vision of the throne.
1 It came to pass in the [a]thirtieth year in the fourth month, and in the fifth day of the month (as I was among the captives by the river [b]Chebar) that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of [c]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 unto Ezekiel the Priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chebar, where the [d]hand of the Lord was upon him.
4 And I looked, and behold, a [e]whirlwind came out of the North, a great cloud and a fire wrapped about it, and a brightness was about it, and in the midst thereof, to wit, in the midst of the fire came out as the likeness of [f]amber.
5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of [g]four beasts, and this was their form: they had the appearance 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 soles of a calf’s foot, and they sparkled like the appearance of bright brass.
8 And the hands of a man came out from under their wings in the four parts of them, and they four had their faces, and their wings.
9 They where [h]joined by their wings one to another, and when they went forth, they returned not, but every one went straight forward.
10 And the similitude of their faces was as [i]the face of a man: and they four had the face of a lion on the right side, and they four had the face of a bullock on the left side: they four also had the face of an Eagle.
11 Thus were their faces: but their wings were spread out above: two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
12 And every one went straight forward: they went whither their [j]spirit led them, and they returned not when they went forth.
13 The similitude also of the beasts, and their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: for the fire ran among the beasts, and the fire gave a glister, and out of the fire there went lightning.
14 And the beasts ran, and [k]returned like unto lightning.
15 Now as I beheld the beasts, behold, a wheel appeared upon the earth by the beasts, having four faces.
16 The fashion of the wheels and their work was like unto a [l]Chrysolite: and they four had one form, and their fashion and their work was as one wheel in another wheel.
17 When they went, they went upon their four sides, and they returned not when they went.
18 They had also [m]rings, and height, and were fearful to behold, and their rings were full of eyes, round about them four.
19 And when the beasts went, the wheels went with them: and when the beasts were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20 Whither their spirit led them, they went, and thither did the spirit of the wheels lead them, and the wheels were lifted up besides them: for the spirit of the beasts was in the wheels.
21 When the beasts went, they went, and when they stood, they stood, and when they were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up besides them: for the spirit of the beasts was in the wheels.
22 And the similitude of the firmament upon the heads of the beasts was wonderful, like unto crystal spread over their heads above.
23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two which covered them, and every one had two which covered their bodies.
24 And when they went forth, I heard the noise of their [n]wings, like the noise of great waters, and as the voice of the Almighty, even the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: even when they stood, they [o]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 fashion of a throne like unto a Sapphire stone, and upon the similitude of the throne was by appearance, as the similitude of a man above upon it.
27 And I saw as the appearance of amber, and as the similitude of fire [p]round about within it to look too, even from his loins upward: and to look too, even from his loins downward, I saw as a likeness of fire, and brightness round about it.
28 As the likeness of the bow, that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the light round about.
29 This was the appearance of the similitude of the glory of the Lord: and when I saw it, I fell [q]upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 1:1 After that the book of the Law was found, which was the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah, so that five and twenty years after this book was found, Jeconiah was led away captive with Ezekiel and many of the people, who the first year after saw these visions.
- Ezekiel 1:1 Which was a part of Euphrates so called.
- Ezekiel 1:1 That is notable and excellent visions, so that it might be known, it was no natural dream, but came of God.
- Ezekiel 1:3 That is, the spirit of prophecy, as Ezek. 3:22 and 37:1.
- Ezekiel 1:4 By this diversity of words he signifieth the fearful judgment of God and the great afflictions that should come upon Jerusalem.
- Ezekiel 1:4 Or, pale fellow.
- Ezekiel 1:5 Which were the four Cherubims that represented the glory of God, as Ezek. 3:23.
- Ezekiel 1:9 The wing of the one touched the wing of the other.
- Ezekiel 1:10 Every Cherubim had four faces, the face of a man, and of a lion on the right side, and the face of a bullock and of an Eagle on the left side.
- Ezekiel 1:12 Hebrew, whither their spirit or w[ings] was to go.
- Ezekiel 1:14 That is, when they had executed God’s will: for afore they returned not till God had changed the state of things.
- Ezekiel 1:16 The Hebrew word is tarshish meaning that the color was like the Cilician Sea, or a precious stone so called.
- Ezekiel 1:18 Or, the trent.
- Ezekiel 1:24 Which declared the swiftness and the fearfulness of God’s judgments.
- Ezekiel 1:24 Which signified that they had no power of themselves, but only waited to execute God’s commandment.
- Ezekiel 1:27 Whereby was signified a terrible judgment toward the earth.
- Ezekiel 1:29 Considering the majesty of God, and the weakness of flesh.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
