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 whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself; and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Also 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 had four wings.

And their feet were straight feet, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass.

And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and all four had their faces and their wings.

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, all four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right side, and all four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

11 Thus were their faces. And their wings were stretched upward; 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, and they turned not when they went.

13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire and like the appearance of lamps; it 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, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.

15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, a wheel was upon the earth by each of the living creatures with his four faces.

16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness; and their appearance and their work was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

17 When they went, they went upon their four sides; and they turned not when they went.

18 As for their rims, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rims were full of eyes round about the four.

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 their spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up opposite them, for the spirit 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 opposite them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creatures was as the color of the terrible crystal, 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 on this side, and every one had two which covered on that side of their bodies.

24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech as the noise of a host. When they stood, they let down their wings;

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