The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Ezekiel 01
1 Now in the thirtieth year, in the fourth
month, in the fifth day of the month, as
I was among the captives by the river
Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I
saw visions of God.†
2 In the fifth of the month, which was the
fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity,
3 Yahweh’s‡ word came to Ezekiel the
priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the
Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and Yahweh’s
hand was there on him.
4 I looked, and behold,§ 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
oftheir 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 ofthem 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 offire, like the appearance oftorches.
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 eachonehad
two whichcovered 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.
25 There was a voice above the expanse
that was over their heads. When they
stood, they let down their wings.
26 Above the expanse that was over their
heads was the likeness of a throne, as the
appearance of a sapphire† stone. On the
likeness of the throne was a likeness as the
appearance of a man on it above.
27 I saw as it were glowing metal, as the
appearance of fire within it all around,
from the appearance of his waist and upward; and
from the appearance of his waist and downward
I saw as it were the appearance of fire,
and there was brightness around him.
28 As the appearance of the rainbow that
is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the
appearance of the brightness all around.
This was the appearance of the likeness
of Yahweh’s glory. When I saw it, I fell on
my face, and I heard a voice of one that
spoke.