EZEKIEL 1:1 In the {[1] Or [[my]} thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

1:2 On the fifth of the month--it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin-- 1:3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, {[3] Or[ezekiel son of buzi the priest]} by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. {[3] Or [chaldeans]} There the hand of the LORD was upon him.

1:4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north--an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 1:5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was that of a man, 1:6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 1:7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. 1:8 Under their wings on their four sides they had the hands of a man. All four of them had faces and wings, 1:9 and their wings touched one another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.

1:10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. 1:11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out upward; each had two wings, one touching the wing of another creature on either side, and two wings covering its body. 1:12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. 1:13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. 1:14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.

1:15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 1:16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 1:17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn about {[17] Or[aside]} as the creatures went. 1:18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.

1:19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 1:20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 1:21 When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

1:22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome. 1:23 Under the expanse their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 1:24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, {[24] Hebrew[shaddai]} like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

1:25 Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 1:26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, {[26] Or[lapis lazuli]} and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 1:27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 1:28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.

1:28b This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.