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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

Then I looked, and behold, (A)a whirlwind was coming (B)out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. (C)Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And (D)this was their appearance: they had (E)the likeness of a man. Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. Their [a]legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled (F)like the color of burnished bronze. (G)The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight (H)forward.

10 As for (I)the likeness of their faces, each (J)had the face of a man; each of the four had (K)the face of a lion on the right side, (L)each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, (M)and each of the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and (N)two covered their bodies. 12 And (O)each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.

13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, (P)like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. 14 And the living creatures ran back and forth, (Q)in appearance like a flash of lightning.

15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, (R)a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. 16 (S)The appearance of the wheels and their workings was (T)like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 17 When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. 18 As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were (U)full of eyes, all around the four of them. 19 (V)When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, (W)for the spirit of the [b]living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the [c]living creatures was in the wheels.

22 (X)The likeness of the [d]firmament above the heads of the [e]living creatures was like the color of an awesome (Y)crystal, stretched out (Z)over their heads. 23 And under the firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body. 24 (AA)When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, (AB)like the noise of many waters, like (AC)the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:7 Lit. feet
  2. Ezekiel 1:20 Lit. living creature; LXX, Vg. spirit of life; Tg. creatures
  3. Ezekiel 1:21 See note at v. 20
  4. Ezekiel 1:22 Or expanse
  5. Ezekiel 1:22 So with LXX, Tg., Vg.; MT living creature