Historical
The Vision of Four Living Creatures
1 Now it happened in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the (A)river Chebar among the exiles, that the (B)heavens were opened, and I saw [a](C)visions of God. 2 (On the fifth of the month [b]in the (D)fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile, 3 the (E)word of [c]Yahweh came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the (F)land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there (G)the hand of Yahweh came upon him.)
4 Then I looked, and behold, a (H)storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light all around it, and in its midst something like the gleam of (I)glowing metal in the midst of the fire. 5 And within it there were figures with the likeness of (J)four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the (K)likeness of a man. 6 And each of them had (L)four faces and (M)four wings. 7 And their legs were straight, and [d]their feet were like a calf’s hoof, and they sparkled like the gleam of (N)burnished bronze. 8 And under their wings on their (O)four sides were (P)hands of a man. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, 9 their wings touched one another; their faces did (Q)not turn as they went; each (R)went straight forward. 10 And as for the (S)likeness of their faces, each had the (T)face of a man; [e]all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and [f]all four had the face of an eagle. 11 And such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another being, and (U)two covering their bodies. 12 And (V)each went straight forward; (W)wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went. 13 [g]As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of (X)fire, [h]like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning was [i]flashing from the fire. 14 And the living creatures (Y)ran to and fro with the appearance of (Z)lightning.
15 Then I looked at the living creatures, and behold, there was one (AA)wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, [j]for each of the four of them. 16 The (AB)appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like the gleam of (AC)beryl, and all four of them had the same likeness, their appearance and workmanship being as if [k]one wheel were within another. 17 Whenever they went, they went in any of their four [l]directions without (AD)turning as they went. 18 And as for their rims, they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were (AE)full of eyes all around. 19 (AF)And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. And when the living creatures (AG)rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. 20 (AH)Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction, [m]where the spirit was about to go. And the wheels rose alongside of them; for the spirit of the living [n]creatures was in the wheels. 21 (AI)Whenever those went, these went; and whenever those stood still, these stood still. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living [o]creatures was in the wheels.
The Vision of the Glory of Yahweh
22 Now (AJ)over the heads of the living [p]creatures there was something with the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome gleam of [q]crystal, spread out over their heads above. 23 And underneath the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other; each one also had (AK)two wings covering its body on the one side and on the other. 24 I also heard the sound of their wings like the (AL)sound of many waters as they went, like the [r](AM)sound of [s]the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the (AN)sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. 25 And there came a sound from above the (AO)expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings.
26 Now (AP)above the expanse that was over their heads there was something in the (AQ)likeness of a throne, like (AR)sapphire stone in appearance; and upon the likeness of the throne, high up, was the likeness of one with the appearance of a (AS)man. 27 Then I saw from the appearance of His loins and upward something (AT)like the gleam of [t]glowing metal with the appearance of fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something with the appearance of fire; and there was a radiance all around Him. 28 As the appearance of the (AU)rainbow [u]in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the radiance all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the (AV)glory of Yahweh. And I saw this, and I (AW)fell on my face and heard a sound of a voice speaking.
The Sending of Ezekiel
2 Then He said to me, “Son of man, (AX)stand on your feet that I may speak with you!” 2 And as He spoke to me, the (AY)Spirit entered me and caused me to stand on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me. 3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have (AZ)rebelled against Me; (BA)they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. 4 I am sending you to them who are [v](BB)stiff-[w]faced and strong-hearted children, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh.’ 5 As for them, (BC)whether they listen or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—they will (BD)know that a prophet has been among them. 6 Now as for you, son of man, (BE)do not fear them and do not fear their words, though (BF)thistles and briers are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. 7 But you shall (BG)speak My words to them (BH)whether they listen or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious.
8 “Now as for you, son of man, listen to what I am speaking to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and (BI)eat what I am giving you.” 9 Then I looked, and behold, a (BJ)hand was sent forth to me; and behold, a [x](BK)scroll was in it. 10 Then He spread it out before me, and it was written on the front and back, and written on it were lamentations, sighing, and (BL)woe.
Ezekiel Sent to the House of Israel
3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; (BM)eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I (BN)opened my mouth, and He [y]fed me this scroll. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, [z]feed your stomach and (BO)fill your [aa]body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I (BP)ate it, and it was sweet as (BQ)honey in my mouth.
4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go now, come to the house of Israel, and you shall speak with My words to them. 5 For (BR)you are not being sent to a people of [ab](BS)unintelligible lips or a difficult tongue, but to the house of Israel, 6 nor to many peoples of [ac]unintelligible lips or a difficult tongue, whose words you cannot [ad]understand. [ae]But I have sent you to them [af]who should listen to you; 7 yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are (BT)not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is [ag]stubborn with a strong forehead and stiff heart. 8 Behold, I have made your face as strong as their faces and your forehead as strong as their foreheads. 9 Like [ah]diamond stronger than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.” 10 Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, take into your heart all My (BU)words which I will speak to you and listen with your ears. 11 And go now, come to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and you shall speak to them and say to them, whether they listen or whether they refuse, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh.’”
12 Then the (BV)Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great (BW)rumbling sound behind me, “Blessed be the glory of Yahweh [ai]in His place.” 13 And I heard the sound of the wings of the living creatures touching one another and the sound of the (BX)wheels beside them, even a great rumbling sound. 14 So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away; and I went embittered in the wrath of my spirit, and (BY)the hand of Yahweh was strong on me. 15 Then I came to the exiles who lived beside the river Chebar at Tel-abib, and I sat there (BZ)seven days where they were living, causing [aj]consternation among them.
16 (CA)Now it happened at the end of seven days, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, I have given you as a (CB)watchman to the house of Israel; so you will hear a word from My mouth, and you shall (CC)warn them from Me. 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his (CD)blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet if you have (CE)warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have (CF)delivered yourself. 20 Again, (CG)when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a (CH)stumbling block before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 However, if you have (CI)warned [ak]the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.”
22 And the hand of Yahweh was on me there, and He said to me, “Get up, go out to the plain, and there I will (CJ)speak to you.” 23 So I got up and went out to the plain; and behold, the (CK)glory of Yahweh was standing there, like the glory which (CL)I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell on my face. 24 The (CM)Spirit then entered me and caused me to stand on my feet, and He spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself up in your house. 25 Now as for you, son of man, they will (CN)put ropes on you and bind you with them so that you cannot go out among them. 26 Moreover, (CO)I will make your tongue cling to [al]the roof of your mouth so that you will be mute and cannot be a man who reproves them, for they are a rebellious house. 27 But (CP)when I speak to you, I will open your mouth, and you will say to them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; (CQ)for they are a rebellious house.
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