Ezekiel 1

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1. 1Now, in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, while I was among the captives by the Chebar River, the heavens opened, and I saw visions of God.
2. 2This was the 5th day of the month, during the 5th year of King Jehoiachin's exile.
3. 3The word of the LORD came directly to me — Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi — there in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar River. The hand of the LORD was on me.
4. 4I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire swirling inside it, and a bright light around it. In the middle of the fire was something that looked like amber.
5. 5From the middle of the fire emerged what looked like 4 living creatures. They had a human-like form,
6. 6but each one had 4 faces and 4 wings.
7. 7Their legs were straight, and their feet looked like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze.
8. 8Under their wings on each of their 4 sides, they had human hands. All 4 creatures had faces and wings,
9. 9and their wings touched one another. They never turned as they moved — each one went straight ahead.
10. 10Each creature had four faces: a human face, a lion's face on the right side, an ox's face on the left side, and an eagle's face.
11. 11That's how their faces looked. Their wings spread upward — 2 wings on each creature stretched out to touch the wings of the creatures beside it, while the other 2 wings covered their bodies.
12. 12Each one moved straight ahead, going wherever the spirit directed them. They never turned aside as they moved.
13. 13The living creatures looked like burning coals of fire and like lamps. The fire moved up and down among them; it was bright, and lightning came out from it.
14. 14The creatures darted back and forth like flashes of lightning.
15. 15As I watched the living creatures, I noticed a wheel on the ground beside each of them — one wheel for each of the 4 creatures.
16. 16The wheels gleamed like beryl. All four looked identical, and their appearance and construction were like a wheel within a wheel.
17. 17When they moved, they went in any of the four directions without turning.
18. 18The rims of the wheels were enormous and terrifying, and all 4 rims were covered with eyes all the way around.
19. 19Whenever the living creatures moved, the wheels moved with them. When the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose too.
20. 20Wherever the spirit went, the creatures went, and the wheels went right along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
21. 21When the creatures moved, the wheels moved. When the creatures stopped, the wheels stopped. When the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose with them — because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22. 22And the appearance of the expanse above the heads of the living creatures was like the gleam of awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads above.
23. 23Beneath this expanse, each creature stretched 2 wings straight out to touch the wings of the creature beside it, while the other 2 wings covered their bodies.
24. 24When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, like the noise of an army. When they stopped, they lowered their wings.
25. 25Then a voice came from above the expanse over their heads, as they stood still with their wings lowered.
26. 26Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne made of sapphire, and seated on the throne was a figure that looked like a man.
27. 27From the waist up, I saw what looked like glowing amber, like fire enclosed all around. From the waist down, I saw what looked like fire, and brilliant light surrounded him on every side.
28. 28The radiance around him looked like a rainbow shining through the clouds on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard a voice speaking to me.