Ezekiel 1
1IN the thirtieth year, and fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, when I was among the captives by the river Chobar, the heavens were opened and I saw the visions of God.
2On the fifth of that month (this was the fifth year of the captivity of king Jechonias)
3the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel son of Buzi the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chobar. And the hand of the Lord was upon me,
4and I looked, and lo! a whirlwind came from the north, and with it a great cloud surrounded with a splendour of flashing fire; and in the midst thereof, an appearance like that of amber in the middle of the fire, and a splendour in it.
5And in the middle, a resemblance like that of four living beings. And this was the appearance of them: They had a resemblance of a man in them.
6And each had four faces, and each had four wings; and their legs were straight
7and their feet winged, and sparking like sparkling brass. And their wings had a quick motion.
8And underneath their wings on their four sides was a man’s hand.
9And the faces of the four turned not when they went. They marched forward each having a face on every side.
10And with regard to the similitude of their faces, the four had the face of a man with the face of a lion, on the right; and on the left the four had the face of a bullock, and the four had a face of an eagle.
11And the wings of the four were expanded upwards, each having a pair unfolded adjoining each other and a pair folded on their body.
12And they moved on, each straight forward, which way soever the wind was moving, they moved on, and turned not.
13And in the midst of the four living beings, was an appearance like that of glowing coals of fire, resembling lamps whirling round between the
14living beings with a splendour of fire, and from the fire lightnings flashed.
15And lo! I beheld on the ground, close to the four living beings a wheel, one to each of the four.
16And the appearance of the wheels was like the appearance of a beryl. And the four had one and the same likeness. And their workmanship was as if there were a wheel within a wheel.
17They ran on their four sections and shifted not their position when they ran,
18nor did their felloes when they were elevated. And I beheld, and their felloes were full of eyes, all around the four.
19And when the living beings moved on, the wheels moved on close by them.
20And when the living beings mounted up from the earth, the wheels mounted up. Wherever the cloud was, there was the wind for their movement; the wheels moved on and were carried aloft with them. Because there was a breath of life in the wheels, when the living beings moved on, the wheels moved on:
21when those stood still, these stood still: and when those mounted up from the earth, these mounted up with them, because there was a breath of life in the wheels.
22And over the head of the living beings, there was a likeness resembling a firmament, like the appearance of crystal over their wings, which were expanded above them.
23And their wings which were expanded below the firmament, flapped one against another, while every one had a pair that covered their bodies.
24And when they moved on I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of much water: but when they stopped, their wings were still.
25And lo! a voice from above the firmament!
26This being over their heads, there was an appearance like that of a sapphire stone and a resemblance of a throne upon it. And upon the resemblance of the throne a resemblance like the appearance of a man above.
27And I saw a resemblance of amber from the appearance of the loins and upwards; and from the appearance of the loins and downwards, I saw an appearance of fire: and the splendour thereof round about
28was like the bow which is in the clouds in a showery day. Such was the state of the splendour round about.