Ezekiel 1:4-24
English Standard Version
The Glory of the Lord
4 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] 5 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, 6 (G)but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. 7 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. 8 Under their wings (I)on their four sides (J)they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 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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- Ezekiel 1:4 Or amber; also verse 27
- Ezekiel 1:12 Or Spirit; also twice in verse 20 and once in verse 21
- Ezekiel 1:15 Hebrew of their faces
- Ezekiel 1:17 Hebrew on their four sides
- Ezekiel 1:20 Or the spirit of life; also verse 21
Ezekiel 1:4-24
Revised Standard Version
4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness round about it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming bronze. 5 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the form of men, 6 but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. 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. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 their wings touched one another; they went every one straight forward, without turning as they went. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man in front;[a] 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 at the back.[b] 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 two covered their bodies. 12 And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 In the midst of[c] the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.[d] 16 As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of a chrysolite; and the four had the same likeness, their construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went in any of their four directions[e] without turning as they went. 18 The four wheels had rims and they had spokes;[f] and their rims were full of eyes round about. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, shining like crystal,[g] spread out above their heads. 23 And under the firmament their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another; and each creature had two wings covering its body. 24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the thunder of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of a host; when they stood still, they let down their wings.
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- Ezekiel 1:10 Cn: Heb lacks in front
- Ezekiel 1:10 Cn: Heb lacks at the back
- Ezekiel 1:13 Gk Old Latin: Heb And the likeness of
- Ezekiel 1:15 Heb of their faces
- Ezekiel 1:17 Heb on their four sides
- Ezekiel 1:18 Cn: Heb uncertain
- Ezekiel 1:22 Gk: Heb awesome crystal
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.