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Then I looked, and behold, a (A)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 (B)glowing metal in the midst of the fire. And within it there were figures with the likeness of (C)four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the (D)likeness of a man. And each of them had (E)four faces and (F)four wings. And their legs were straight, and [a]their feet were like a calf’s hoof, and they sparkled like the gleam of (G)burnished bronze. And under their wings on their (H)four sides were (I)hands of a man. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, their wings touched one another; their faces did (J)not turn as they went; each (K)went straight forward. 10 And as for the (L)likeness of their faces, each had the (M)face of a man; [b]all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and [c]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 (N)two covering their bodies. 12 And (O)each went straight forward; (P)wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went. 13 [d]As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of (Q)fire, [e]like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning was [f]flashing from the fire. 14 And the living creatures (R)ran to and fro with the appearance of (S)lightning.

15 Then I looked at the living creatures, and behold, there was one (T)wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, [g]for each of the four of them. 16 The (U)appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like the gleam of (V)beryl, and all four of them had the same likeness, their appearance and workmanship being as if [h]one wheel were within another. 17 Whenever they went, they went in any of their four [i]directions without (W)turning as they went. 18 And as for their rims, they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were (X)full of eyes all around. 19 (Y)And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. And when the living creatures (Z)rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. 20 (AA)Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction, [j]where the spirit was about to go. And the wheels rose alongside of them; for the spirit of the living [k]creatures was in the wheels. 21 (AB)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 [l]creatures was in the wheels.

The Vision of the Glory of Yahweh

22 Now (AC)over the heads of the living [m]creatures there was something with the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome gleam of [n]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 (AD)two wings covering its body on the one side and on the other. 24 I also heard the sound of their wings like the (AE)sound of many waters as they went, like the [o](AF)sound of [p]the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the (AG)sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:7 Lit the soles of their feet
  2. Ezekiel 1:10 Lit the four of them
  3. Ezekiel 1:10 Lit the four of them
  4. Ezekiel 1:13 Some ancient versions And in the midst of the living
  5. Ezekiel 1:13 Lit coming out
  6. Ezekiel 1:13 Lit coming out
  7. Ezekiel 1:15 Lit for his four faces
  8. Ezekiel 1:16 Lit the wheel in the midst of the wheel
  9. Ezekiel 1:17 Lit sides
  10. Ezekiel 1:20 Some ancient versions omit the final clause
  11. Ezekiel 1:20 M.T. creature
  12. Ezekiel 1:21 M.T. being
  13. Ezekiel 1:22 As in some ancient mss and versions; M.T. creature
  14. Ezekiel 1:22 Or ice
  15. Ezekiel 1:24 Or voice
  16. Ezekiel 1:24 Heb Shaddai

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) and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.(D) In appearance their form was human,(E) but each of them had four faces(F) and four wings. Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.(G) Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.(H) All four of them had faces and wings, 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)

15 As I looked at the living creatures,(P) I saw a wheel(Q) on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz,(R) and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction(S) as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes(T) all around.

19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go,(U) and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.(V)

22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault,(W) sparkling like crystal, and awesome. 23 Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing(X) waters, like the voice(Y) of the Almighty,[a] like the tumult of an army.(Z) When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:24 Hebrew Shaddai