The Glory of the Lord

As I looked, behold, (A)a stormy wind came (B)out of the north, and a great cloud, with (C)brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, (D)as it were gleaming metal.[a] And from the midst of it came the likeness of (E)four living creatures. (F)And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, (G)but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot. And they sparkled (H)like burnished bronze. Under their wings (I)on their four sides (J)they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another. (K)Each one of them went straight forward, (L)without turning as they went. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, (M)each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while (N)two covered their bodies. 12 (O)And each went straight forward. (P)Wherever the spirit[b] would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was (Q)like burning coals of fire, (R)like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. (S)And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures (T)darted to and fro, (U)like the appearance of a flash of lightning.

15 (V)Now 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.[c] 16 (W)As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like (X)the gleaming of beryl. (Y)And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17 (Z)When they went, they went (AA)in any of their four directions[d] (AB)without turning as they went. 18 And their rims were tall and awesome, (AC)and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. 19 (AD)And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; (AE)and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. 20 (AF)Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, (AG)for the spirit of the living creatures[e] was in the wheels. 21 (AH)When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; (AI)and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, (AJ)for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was (AK)the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring (AL)crystal, spread out above their heads. 23 And under the expanse their wings were (AM)stretched out straight, one toward another. (AN)And each creature had two wings covering its body. 24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings (AO)like the sound of many waters, like (AP)the sound of the (AQ)Almighty, a sound of tumult (AR)like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:4 Or amber; also verse 27
  2. Ezekiel 1:12 Or Spirit; also twice in verse 20 and once in verse 21
  3. Ezekiel 1:15 Hebrew of their faces
  4. Ezekiel 1:17 Hebrew on their four sides
  5. Ezekiel 1:20 Or the spirit of life; also verse 21

As I watched, suddenly a driving storm came out of the north, a great cloud flashing fire, with brightness all around. At its center, in the middle of the fire, there was something like gleaming amber. And inside that were forms of four living creatures. This was what they looked like: Each had the form of a human being, though each had four faces and four wings. Their feet looked like proper feet, but the soles of their feet were like calves’ hooves, and they shone like burnished bronze. Human hands were under their wings on all four sides. All four creatures had faces and wings, and their wings touched each other’s wings. When they moved, they each went straight ahead without turning. 10 As for the form of their faces: each of the four had a human face, with a lion’s face on the right and a bull’s face on the left, and also an eagle’s face. 11 The pairs of wings[a] that stretched out overhead touched each other, while the other pairs covered their bodies. 12 Each moved straight ahead wherever the wind propelled them; they moved without turning. 13 Regarding the creatures’ forms: they looked like blazing coals, like torches. Fire darted about between the creatures and illuminated them, and lightning flashed from the fire. 14 The creatures looked like lightning streaking back and forth.

15 As I looked at the creatures, suddenly there was a wheel on the earth corresponding to all four faces of the creatures. 16 The appearance and composition of the wheels were like sparkling topaz. There was one shape for all four of them, as if one wheel were inside another. 17 When they moved in any of the four directions, they moved without swerving. 18 Their rims were tall and terrifying, because all four of them were filled with eyes all around. 19 When the creatures moved, the wheels moved next to them. Whenever the creatures rose above the earth, the wheels also rose up. 20 Wherever the wind would appear to go, the wind would make them go there too. The wheels rose up beside them, because the spirit[b] of the creatures was in the wheels. 21 When they moved, the wheels[c] moved; when they stood still, the wheels stood still; and when they rose above the earth, the wheels rose up along with them, because the spirit[d] of the creatures was in the wheels.

22 The shape above the heads of the creatures[e] was a dome; it was like glittering ice stretched out over their heads. 23 Just below the dome, their outstretched wings touched each other. They each also had two wings to cover their bodies. 24 Then I heard the sound of their wings when they moved forward. It was like the sound of mighty waters, like the sound of the Almighty,[f] like the sound of tumult or the sound of an army camp. When they stood still, their wings came to rest.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:11 LXX; MT adds and their faces.
  2. Ezekiel 1:20 Or wind
  3. Ezekiel 1:21 Or they
  4. Ezekiel 1:21 Or wind
  5. Ezekiel 1:22 LXX; MT creature
  6. Ezekiel 1:24 Heb Shaddai or Mountain One