Ezekiel 1:4-24
World English Bible
4 I looked, and behold,[a] a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of the middle of it as it were glowing metal, out of the middle of the fire. 5 Out of its center came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man. 6 Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings. 7 Their feet were straight feet. The sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze. 8 They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had their faces and their wings like this: 9 Their wings were joined to one another. They didn’t turn when they went. Each one went straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man. The four of them had the face of a lion on the right side. The four of them had the face of an ox on the left side. The four of them also had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies. 12 Each one went straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went. They didn’t turn 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. The fire was bright, and lightning went out of the fire. 14 The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl. The four of them had one likeness. Their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn when they went. 18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around.
19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. When the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went. The spirit was to go there. The wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went. When those stood, these stood. When those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
22 Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like an awesome crystal to look at, stretched out over their heads above. 23 Under the expanse, their wings were straight, one toward the other. Each one had two which covered on this side, and each one had two which covered their bodies on that side. 24 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 an army. When they stood, they let down their wings.
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- 1:4 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
Ezekiel 1:4-24
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing forth continually and in the middle of the fire something like gleaming amber.(A) 5 In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form.(B) 6 Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.(C) 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.(D) 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus:(E) 9 their wings touched one another; each of them moved straight ahead, without turning as they moved. 10 As for the appearance of their faces: the four had the face of a human being, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle;(F) 11 such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies.(G) 12 Each moved straight ahead; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 In the middle of[a] the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright, and lightning issued from the fire.(H) 14 The living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.(I)
15 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.[b](J) 16 As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl, and the four had the same form, their construction being something like a wheel within a wheel.(K) 17 When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without veering as they moved.(L) 18 Their rims were tall and awesome, for the rims of all four were full of eyes all around.(M) 19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.(N) 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for a living spirit was in the wheels.(O) 21 When they moved, the others moved; when they stopped, the others stopped; and when they rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for a living spirit was in the wheels.(P)
22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was something like a dome, shining like crystal,[c] spread out above their heads.(Q) 23 Under the dome their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another, and each of the creatures had two wings covering its body. 24 When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of mighty waters, like the thunder of the Almighty,[d] a sound of tumult like the sound of an army; when they stopped, they let down their wings.(R)
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