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The Vision of Four Living Creatures

Now it happened in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the (A)river Chebar among the exiles, that 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 [c]Yahweh 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 Yahweh came upon him.)

Then I looked, and behold, a (H)storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light all around it, and in its midst something like the gleam of (I)glowing metal in the midst of the fire. And within it there were figures with the likeness of (J)four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the (K)likeness of a man. And each of them had (L)four faces and (M)four wings. And their legs were straight, and [d]their feet were like a calf’s hoof, and they sparkled like the gleam of (N)burnished bronze. And under their wings on their (O)four sides were (P)hands of a man. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, their wings touched one another; their faces did (Q)not turn as they went; each (R)went straight forward. 10 And as for the (S)likeness of their faces, each had the (T)face of a man; [e]all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and [f]all four had the face of an eagle. 11 And 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 [g]As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of (X)fire, [h]like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning was [i]flashing from the fire. 14 And the living creatures (Y)ran to and fro with the appearance of (Z)lightning.

15 Then I looked at the living creatures, and behold, there was one (AA)wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, [j]for each of the four of them. 16 The (AB)appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like the gleam of (AC)beryl, and all four of them had the same likeness, their appearance and workmanship being as if [k]one wheel were within another. 17 Whenever they went, they went in any of their four [l]directions without (AD)turning as they went. 18 And as for their rims, they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were (AE)full of eyes all around. 19 (AF)And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. And when the living creatures (AG)rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. 20 (AH)Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction, [m]where the spirit was about to go. And the wheels rose alongside of them; for the spirit of the living [n]creatures 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 [o]creatures was in the wheels.

The Vision of the Glory of Yahweh

22 Now (AJ)over the heads of the living [p]creatures there was something with the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome gleam of [q]crystal, spread out over their heads above. 23 And underneath 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 many waters as they went, like the [r](AM)sound of [s]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 sound 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 in the (AQ)likeness of a throne, like (AR)sapphire stone in appearance; and upon the likeness of the throne, high up, was the likeness of one with the appearance of a (AS)man. 27 Then I saw from the appearance of His loins and upward something (AT)like the gleam of [t]glowing metal with the appearance of fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something with the appearance of fire; and there was a radiance all around Him. 28 As the appearance of the (AU)rainbow [u]in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the radiance all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the (AV)glory of Yahweh. And I saw this, and I (AW)fell on my face and heard a sound of a voice speaking.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:1 Some ancient mss and versions a vision
  2. Ezekiel 1:2 Lit it was
  3. Ezekiel 1:3 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
  4. Ezekiel 1:7 Lit the soles of their feet
  5. Ezekiel 1:10 Lit the four of them
  6. Ezekiel 1:10 Lit the four of them
  7. Ezekiel 1:13 Some ancient versions And in the midst of the living
  8. Ezekiel 1:13 Lit coming out
  9. Ezekiel 1:13 Lit coming out
  10. Ezekiel 1:15 Lit for his four faces
  11. Ezekiel 1:16 Lit the wheel in the midst of the wheel
  12. Ezekiel 1:17 Lit sides
  13. Ezekiel 1:20 Some ancient versions omit the final clause
  14. Ezekiel 1:20 M.T. creature
  15. Ezekiel 1:21 M.T. being
  16. Ezekiel 1:22 As in some ancient mss and versions; M.T. creature
  17. Ezekiel 1:22 Or ice
  18. Ezekiel 1:24 Or voice
  19. Ezekiel 1:24 Heb Shaddai
  20. Ezekiel 1:27 Or electrum
  21. Ezekiel 1:28 Lit which occurs in

Date of Vision of Living Creatures and Glory of the Throne of Yahweh

And it was in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, and I was in the midst of[a] the exiles[b] by the Kebar River.[c] The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of the king Jehoiachin— the word of Yahweh came[d] clearly[e] to Ezekiel the son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans at the Kebar River,[f] and the hand of Yahweh was on him there.

And I looked,[g] and look! A storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud, and fire flashing back and forth, and brightness around and within it,[h] and from its midst[i] it was like the outward appearance of amber stone from the midst[j] of the fire. And from its midst[k] was the likeness of four living creatures, and this was their appearance: a human form,[l] and each had four faces,[m] and each of them had four wings.[n] And their legs were straight legs, and the sole of their feet was like the sole of the foot of a calf, and they were sparkling like the outward appearance of polished bronze. And under their wings were human hands[o] on their four sides. And their faces and their wings for the four of them were as follows: their wings were touching one another;[p] each of them went straight forward,[q] without turning right or left.[r] 10 The likeness of their faces was the face of a human in front, and the face of a lion on the right of each of them,[s] and the face of an ox on the left of each of them,[t] and the face of an eagle for each of them.[u] 11 So were their faces; their wings were spread out upward;[v] each had two touching one another and two covering their bodies. 12 And each went straight forward;[w] wherever the spirit went[x] they went, and they did not turn as they went.[y] 13 As for[z] the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. It[aa] was moving to and fro between the living creatures, and the fire was very bright[ab] and lightning was going out from the fire. 14 And the living creatures were speeding to and fro[ac] like the appearance of lightning.

15 And I saw the living creatures, and look! A wheel was on the earth[ad] beside each of the living creatures that had four faces.[ae] 16 The appearance of the wheels and their construction was like the appearance of beryl,[af] and they all looked alike,[ag] and their appearance and their construction was like a wheel within a wheel.[ah] 17 When they moved, they went toward their four sides; they did not veer at all as they went.[ai] 18 And their rims were high and awesome,[aj] and all four of[ak] their rims were full of eyes all around. 19 And at the going of the living creatures, the wheels next to them also went, and when the creatures were lifted from the ground[al] the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever[am] the spirit went they would go there, and the wheels rose, for the spirit of the living creatures[an] was in the wheels. 21 At their[ao] going, they[ap] go, and at their standing, they stood, and at their being lifted up from on the earth,[aq] the wheels rose,[ar] for the spirit of the living creatures[as] was in the wheels.

22 Now[at] the likeness above the heads of the living creatures was an expanse like the outward appearance of awesome[au] ice[av] spread out above their heads upward.[aw] 23 And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight one toward the other;[ax] each had two wings covering them, and each had two wings covering their bodies. 24 And I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the voice of Shaddai,[ay] and when they moved[az] there was a sound of tumult like the sound of an army; when they stood still[ba] they lowered their wings. 25 And there was[bb] a sound from above the expanse that was above their heads, and when they stood[bc] they lowered their wings. 26 And from above the expanse that was above their heads there was the likeness of a throne, looking like a sapphire,[bd] and above the likeness of the throne was a likeness similar to[be] the appearance of a human on it, but above it.[bf] 27 And I saw something like the outward appearance of amber, something like the appearance of fire, with a covering around it, from the likeness of his loins and upward.[bg] And from the likeness of his loins and downward[bh] I saw something like the appearance of fire, and it was radiant all around.[bi] 28 Like the appearance[bj] of a bow that is in the cloud on a rainy day,[bk] such was the radiance[bl] around it; thus was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh. And I saw, and I fell on my face, and I heard a voice speaking.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:1 Or “among”
  2. Ezekiel 1:1 Hebrew “exile”
  3. Ezekiel 1:1 Literally “river of Kebar”
  4. Ezekiel 1:3 Literally “was”
  5. Ezekiel 1:3 Or “certainly”
  6. Ezekiel 1:3 Literally “river of Kebar”
  7. Ezekiel 1:4 Or “saw”
  8. Ezekiel 1:4 Literally “for it”
  9. Ezekiel 1:4 Or “middle”
  10. Ezekiel 1:4 Or “middle”
  11. Ezekiel 1:5 Or “middle”
  12. Ezekiel 1:5 Literally “this their appearance the likeness of a human to them”
  13. Ezekiel 1:6 Literally “and four faces to each”
  14. Ezekiel 1:6 Literally “and four wings to each for them”
  15. Ezekiel 1:8 Literally “hand his a man”
  16. Ezekiel 1:9 Literally “their wings were touching each her sister”
  17. Ezekiel 1:9 Literally “they did not turn at their going”
  18. Ezekiel 1:9 Literally “each toward the side of his face they went”
  19. Ezekiel 1:10 Literally “of the four of them”
  20. Ezekiel 1:10 Literally “of the four of them”
  21. Ezekiel 1:10 Literally “of the four of them”
  22. Ezekiel 1:11 Literally “from to above”
  23. Ezekiel 1:12 Literally “toward the side of his face they went”
  24. Ezekiel 1:12 Literally “towards which it was there the spirit”
  25. Ezekiel 1:12 Literally “they did not turn at their going”
  26. Ezekiel 1:13 Or “And”
  27. Ezekiel 1:13 That is, the fire
  28. Ezekiel 1:13 Literally “brightness was for the fire”
  29. Ezekiel 1:14 Literally “sped forth and returned”
  30. Ezekiel 1:15 Or “ground”
  31. Ezekiel 1:15 Literally “the living creatures for the four of his/its faces.” The LXX has “for the four of them.”
  32. Ezekiel 1:16 Or “chrysolite,” or “topaz”; this stone is difficult to identify exactly
  33. Ezekiel 1:16 Literally “likeness was one for the four of them”
  34. Ezekiel 1:16 Literally “as that it was a wheel in the midst of a wheel”
  35. Ezekiel 1:17 Literally “turn away when they went”
  36. Ezekiel 1:18 Literally “height was for them and awesomeness was for them”
  37. Ezekiel 1:18 Literally “of the four of them”
  38. Ezekiel 1:19 Literally “and at the lifting up of the creatures from the earth”
  39. Ezekiel 1:20 Literally “Toward which”
  40. Ezekiel 1:20 Hebrew “creature”
  41. Ezekiel 1:21 That is, the living creatures
  42. Ezekiel 1:21 That is, the wheels
  43. Ezekiel 1:21 Or “ground”
  44. Ezekiel 1:21 Or “were lifted up”
  45. Ezekiel 1:21 Hebrew “creature”
  46. Ezekiel 1:22 Or “And”
  47. Ezekiel 1:22 Literally “terrible”
  48. Ezekiel 1:22 Literally “frozen water”
  49. Ezekiel 1:22 Literally “from to upward”
  50. Ezekiel 1:23 Literally “each towards its sister”
  51. Ezekiel 1:24 Often translated “Almighty”
  52. Ezekiel 1:24 Literally “at their going”
  53. Ezekiel 1:24 Literally “at their standing”
  54. Ezekiel 1:25 Or “it was”
  55. Ezekiel 1:25 Literally “at their standing”
  56. Ezekiel 1:26 Literally “the appearance of a stone of sapphire”
  57. Ezekiel 1:26 Or “like”
  58. Ezekiel 1:26 Literally “from to above”
  59. Ezekiel 1:27 Literally “to above”
  60. Ezekiel 1:27 Literally “to down”
  61. Ezekiel 1:27 Literally “brightness was for it around”
  62. Ezekiel 1:28 Or “likeness”
  63. Ezekiel 1:28 Literally “the day of the rain”
  64. Ezekiel 1:28 Or “brightness”