As I looked, behold, a (A)high wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing intermittently and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like (B)gleaming [a]metal in the midst of the fire. And within it there were figures resembling (C)four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human (D)form. Each of them had (E)four faces and (F)four wings. Their legs were straight and [b]their feet were like a calf’s [c]hoof, and they sparkled like (G)polished bronze. Under their wings on their (H)four sides were human (I)hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, their wings touched one another; their faces did (J)not turn when they moved, each (K)went straight forward. 10 As for the (L)form of their faces, each had a human (M)face; [d]all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and [e]all four had the face of an eagle. 11 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 [f]In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of (Q)fire, [g]like torches moving among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was [h]flashing from the fire. 14 And the living beings (R)ran back and forth like bolts of (S)lightning.

15 Now as I looked at the living beings, behold, there was one (T)wheel on the ground beside the living beings, for [i]each of the four of them. 16 The (U)appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like [j]sparkling (V)topaz, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if [k]one wheel were within another. 17 Whenever they [l]moved, they [m]moved in any of their four [n]directions without (W)turning as they [o]moved. 18 As for their rims, they were high and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were [p](X)covered with eyes all around. 19 (Y)Whenever the living beings [q]moved, the wheels [r]moved with them. And whenever the living beings (Z)rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. 20 (AA)Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction[s]. And the wheels rose just as they did; for the spirit of the living [t]beings was in the wheels. 21 (AB)Whenever those went, they went; and whenever those stopped, they stopped. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose just as they did; for the spirit of the living [u]beings was in the wheels.

Vision of Divine Glory

22 Now (AC)over the heads of the living [v]beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads. 23 Under 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 And I also heard the sound of their wings, like the (AE)sound of abundant waters as they went, like the (AF)voice of [w]the Almighty, a sound of a crowd like the (AG)sound of an army camp; whenever they stopped, they let down their wings.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:4 Heb uncertain; Gr indicates a gold and silver alloy
  2. Ezekiel 1:7 Lit the sole of their feet
  3. Ezekiel 1:7 Lit sole of a foot
  4. Ezekiel 1:10 Lit the four of them
  5. Ezekiel 1:10 Lit the four of them
  6. Ezekiel 1:13 As in some ancient versions; MT And the likeness of the living beings
  7. Ezekiel 1:13 Lit like the appearance of
  8. Ezekiel 1:13 Lit going out
  9. Ezekiel 1:15 Lit his four faces
  10. Ezekiel 1:16 Or the look of topaz
  11. Ezekiel 1:16 Lit the wheel in the midst of the wheel
  12. Ezekiel 1:17 Lit went
  13. Ezekiel 1:17 Lit went
  14. Ezekiel 1:17 Lit sides
  15. Ezekiel 1:17 Lit went
  16. Ezekiel 1:18 Lit full of
  17. Ezekiel 1:19 Lit went
  18. Ezekiel 1:19 Lit went
  19. Ezekiel 1:20 MT adds the spirit to go
  20. Ezekiel 1:20 MT being
  21. Ezekiel 1:21 MT being
  22. Ezekiel 1:22 As in some mss and ancient versions; MT being
  23. Ezekiel 1:24 Heb Shaddai

And I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire [a]infolding itself, and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst thereof [b]as it were glowing [c]metal, out of the midst of the fire. And out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man; and every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle. 11 [d]And their faces and their wings were separate above; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. 12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; they turned not when they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: the fire went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces thereof. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto a beryl: and they four had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel [e]within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went [f]in their four directions: they turned not when they went. 18 As for their [g]rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes round about. 19 And 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 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went; thither was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up [h]beside them; for the spirit [i]of the living creature was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them: for the spirit [j]of the living creature was in the wheels.

22 And over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the terrible [k]crystal to look upon, stretched forth over their heads above. 23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two which covered [l]on this side, and every one had two which covered [m]on that side, their bodies. 24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of a host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:4 Or, flashing continually
  2. Ezekiel 1:4 Or, as amber to look upon
  3. Ezekiel 1:4 Or, amber
  4. Ezekiel 1:11 Or, And thus were their faces; and their wings were etc.
  5. Ezekiel 1:16 Hebrew in the midst of.
  6. Ezekiel 1:17 Hebrew on their four sides.
  7. Ezekiel 1:18 Or, felloes
  8. Ezekiel 1:20 Or, over against
  9. Ezekiel 1:20 Or, of life
  10. Ezekiel 1:21 Or, of life
  11. Ezekiel 1:22 Or, ice
  12. Ezekiel 1:23 Or, for them
  13. Ezekiel 1:23 Or, for them