1 O n the fifth day of the fourth month in the thirtieth year, while I was by the Chebar River with the Jews who had been taken away from their land, the heavens were opened and I saw God in a special way.

Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

2 ( On the fifth day of the month in the fifth year that King Jehoiachin had been living in a strange land,

(On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile,

3 t he Word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the religious leader, son of Buzi, in the land of the Babylonians by the Chebar River. There the hand of the Lord came upon him.)

the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.)

4 I looked and saw a wind storm coming from the north. There was a big cloud with lightning coming from it and with a bright light around it. Inside the fire was something like shining brass,

As I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire.

5 a nd in the fire was what looked like four living beings. They looked like men,

Within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form.

6 b ut each of them had four faces and four wings.

Each of them had four faces and four wings.

7 T heir legs were straight, and their feet were like those of a calf. They shined like bright brass.

Their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf’s hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze.

8 U nder their wings on their four sides were hands like a man’s. As for the faces and wings of the four of them,

Under their wings on their four sides were human hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them,

9 t heir wings touched one another. Their faces did not turn when they moved. Each one moved straight ahead.

their wings touched one another; their faces did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward.

10 A s for what their faces looked like, each of the four had the face of a man, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of a bull on the left side, and the face of an eagle.

As for the form of their faces, each had the face of a man; all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle.

11 S uch were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Each had two wings touching the wings of another, and two covering their bodies.

Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another being, and two covering their bodies.

12 A nd each one went straight ahead. Every place where the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.

And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went.

13 B etween the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like fire lamps moving from side to side among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was coming out of the fire.

In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches darting back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire.

14 A nd the living beings ran this way and that, like lightning.

And the living beings ran to and fro like bolts of lightning.

15 A s I looked at the living beings, I saw one wheel on the earth beside each of the living beings with its four faces.

Now as I looked at the living beings, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living beings, for each of the four of them.

16 T he way the wheels were made, they looked like shining chrysolite stone. All four of them looked the same. They were made to look as if one wheel were within another.

The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like sparkling beryl, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within another.

17 W hen they moved, they went in one of their four ways, without turning as they went.

Whenever they moved, they moved in any of their four directions without turning as they moved.

18 T he wheels were so high that they caused fear. And all four of them were full of eyes all around.

As for their rims they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were full of eyes round about.

19 W hen the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them. And when the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also.

Whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them. And whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also.

20 W hatever way the spirit would go, they would go that way. And the wheels rose close beside them, for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

21 W hen the living beings moved, they moved. When the beings stood still, they stood still. And when the beings rose up from the earth, the wheels rose close beside them. For the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

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 beings was in the wheels. Vision of Divine Glory

22 O ver the heads of the living beings there was something that looked like the sky. It shined like crystal and spread over their heads.

Now over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads.

23 U nder this covering their wings were spread out straight, one toward the other. Each one also had two wings covering their bodies on one side and on the other.

Under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other; each one also had two wings covering its body on the one side and on the other.

24 W hen they went, I heard the sound of their wings. They sounded like many waters, like the voice of the All-powerful. They sounded like the noise of an army camp. Whenever they stood still, they let down their wings.

I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters as they went, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings.

25 A voice came from above the large covering over their heads. Whenever they stood still, they let down their wings.

And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings.

26 A bove the large covering that was over their heads there was something that looked like a throne, and looked like it was made of sapphire. Sitting on the throne was what looked like a man.

Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man.

27 T hen I saw that there was something like shining brass from the center of his body and up to his head. It looked like fire all around within it. And from the center of his body and down to his feet I saw something like fire. There was a bright light shining all around Him.

Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him.

28 T his light shining around Him looked like the rainbow in the clouds on a day of rain. This was what the shining-greatness of the Lord looked like. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.

As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.