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
English Standard Version
The Glory of the Lord
4 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] 5 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, 6 (G)but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. 7 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. 8 Under their wings (I)on their four sides (J)they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ezekiel 1:4 Or amber; also verse 27
- Ezekiel 1:12 Or Spirit; also twice in verse 20 and once in verse 21
- Ezekiel 1:15 Hebrew of their faces
- Ezekiel 1:17 Hebrew on their four sides
- Ezekiel 1:20 Or the spirit of life; also verse 21
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
