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

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