1Now it happened in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth of the month, while I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
2On the fifth of the month — it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin —
3the word of Yahweh came indeed to Ezekiel son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Yahweh was upon him there.
4And I looked, and behold, a storm wind came out of the north, a great cloud with fire flashing continually, and brightness around it; and from within it, like the gleam of amber, from the midst of the fire.
5And from within it was the likeness of four living creatures, and this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a human.
6Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.
7Their legs were straight legs, and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot, and they gleamed like the gleam of burnished bronze.
8And human hands were under their wings on their four sides; and the four of them had their faces and their wings.
9Their wings were joined one to another; they did not turn as they went — each went straight ahead.
10As for the likeness of their faces: each of the four had the face of a human, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side of the four, and the face of an eagle for the four of them.
11So were their faces. And their wings were spread out upward; each had two joined to one another, and two covering their bodies.
12And each went straight ahead; wherever the spirit was to go, they went — they did not turn as they went.
13As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches; it moved to and fro among the living creatures, and there was brightness to the fire, and out of the fire went lightning.
14And the living creatures darted to and fro like the appearance of a lightning flash.
15Now I looked at the living creatures, and behold, one wheel was on the ground beside the living creatures, at its four faces.
16The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like the gleam of beryl, and the four of them had one likeness; and their appearance and their workmanship were as if a wheel were within a wheel.
17When they went, they went in their four directions; they did not turn as they went.
18As for their rims, they were high and awesome; and the rims of the four of them were full of eyes all around.
19And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose.
20Wherever the spirit was to go, they went — there the spirit was to go — and the wheels rose alongside them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
21When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the ground, the wheels rose alongside them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
22And over the heads of the living creature was the likeness of an expanse, like the gleam of awesome ice, spread out over their heads above.
23And under the expanse their wings were straight, one toward another; each had two covering, and each had two covering — covering their bodies.
24And I heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, as they went — a sound of tumult like the sound of an army; when they stood, they let their wings drop.
25And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; when they stood, they let their wings drop.
26And above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, like the appearance of sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness like the appearance of a human upon it, above.
27And I saw something like the gleam of amber, like the appearance of fire enclosing it all around, from what looked like his waist upward; and from what looked like his waist downward I saw something like the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.
28Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on a day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh. And I saw, and I fell on my face, and I heard a voice speaking.
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