Vision of the Lord’s Glory

I looked, and there was a whirlwind(A) coming from the north, a huge cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire, there was a gleam like amber.(B) The likeness of four living creatures came from it,(C) and this was their appearance: They looked something like a human, but each of them had four faces and four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, sparkling like the gleam of polished bronze.(D) They had human hands under their wings on their four sides.(E) All four of them had faces and wings.(F) Their wings were touching. The creatures did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead.(G) 10 Their faces looked something like the face of a human,(H) and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right, the face of an ox on the left, and the face of an eagle.(I) 11 That is what their faces were like. Their wings were spread upward; each had two wings touching that of another and two wings covering its body.(J) 12 Each creature went straight ahead.(K) Wherever the Spirit[a] wanted to go, they went without turning as they moved.(L)

13 The likeness of the living creatures was like the appearance of blazing coals of fire or like torches.(M) Fire was moving back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, with lightning coming out of it. 14 The creatures were darting back and forth(N) like flashes of lightning.(O)

15 When I looked at the living creatures, there was one wheel on the ground beside each of the four-faced creatures. 16 The appearance of the wheels(P) and their craftsmanship was like the gleam of beryl,(Q) and all four had the same likeness. Their appearance and craftsmanship was like a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without turning as they moved. 18 Their four rims were tall and awe-inspiring, completely covered with eyes.(R) 19 When the living creatures moved,(S) the wheels moved beside them, and when the creatures rose from the earth, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the Spirit wanted to go, the creatures went in the direction the Spirit was moving. The wheels rose alongside them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when the creatures stopped, the wheels stopped; and when the creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose alongside them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22 Over the heads of the living creatures(T) the likeness of an expanse(U) was spread out. It gleamed like awe-inspiring crystal,(V) 23 and under the expanse their wings extended one toward another. They each also had two wings covering their bodies. 24 When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of a huge torrent,(W) like the voice of the Almighty,(X) and a sound of tumult like the noise of an army.(Y) When they stopped, they lowered their wings.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:12 Or spirit, also in v. 20

The Glory of the Lord

As I looked, behold, (A)a stormy wind came (B)out of the north, and a great cloud, with (C)brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, (D)as it were gleaming metal.[a] And from the midst of it came the likeness of (E)four living creatures. (F)And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, (G)but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot. And they sparkled (H)like burnished bronze. Under their wings (I)on their four sides (J)they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another. (K)Each one of them went straight forward, (L)without turning as they went. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, (M)each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while (N)two covered their bodies. 12 (O)And each went straight forward. (P)Wherever the spirit[b] would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was (Q)like burning coals of fire, (R)like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. (S)And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures (T)darted to and fro, (U)like the appearance of a flash of lightning.

15 (V)Now 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.[c] 16 (W)As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like (X)the gleaming of beryl. (Y)And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17 (Z)When they went, they went (AA)in any of their four directions[d] (AB)without turning as they went. 18 And their rims were tall and awesome, (AC)and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. 19 (AD)And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; (AE)and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. 20 (AF)Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, (AG)for the spirit of the living creatures[e] was in the wheels. 21 (AH)When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; (AI)and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, (AJ)for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was (AK)the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring (AL)crystal, spread out above their heads. 23 And under the expanse their wings were (AM)stretched out straight, one toward another. (AN)And each creature had two wings covering its body. 24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings (AO)like the sound of many waters, like (AP)the sound of the (AQ)Almighty, a sound of tumult (AR)like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:4 Or amber; also verse 27
  2. Ezekiel 1:12 Or Spirit; also twice in verse 20 and once in verse 21
  3. Ezekiel 1:15 Hebrew of their faces
  4. Ezekiel 1:17 Hebrew on their four sides
  5. Ezekiel 1:20 Or the spirit of life; also verse 21