Read the Bible

Ezekiel in Babylon

^1 (a)In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by ^(b)the Chebar canal, ^(c)the heavens were opened, and I saw ^(d)visions of God.^{[a] 2} On the fifth day of the month (it was ^(e)the fifth year of ^(f)the exile of King Jehoiachin), ³ the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel ^(g)the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by ^(h)the Chebar canal, and ⁽ⁱ⁾the hand of the Lord was upon him there.

The Glory of the Lord

⁴ As I looked, behold, ^(j)a stormy wind came ^(k)out of the north, and a great cloud, with ^(l)brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, ^(m)as it were gleaming metal.^{[b] 5} And from the midst of it came the likeness of ⁽ⁿ⁾four living creatures. ^(o)And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, ^6 (p)but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot. And they sparkled ^(q)like burnished bronze. ⁸ Under their wings ^(r)on their four sides ^(s)they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: ⁹ their wings touched one another. ^(t)Each one of them went straight forward, ^(u)without turning as they went. ¹⁰ As for the likeness of their faces, ^(v)each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. ¹¹ Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while ^(w)two covered their bodies. ^12 (x)And each went straight forward. ^(y)Wherever the spirit^[c] would go, they went, without turning as they went. ¹³ As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was ^(z)like burning coals of fire, ^(aa)like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. ^(ab)And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. ¹⁴ And the living creatures ^(ac)darted to and fro, ^(ad)like the appearance of a flash of lightning.

^15 (ae)Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.^{[d] 16 (af)}As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like ^(ag)the gleaming of beryl. ^(ah)And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. ^17 (ai)When they went, they went ^(aj)in any of their four directions^{[e] (ak)}without turning as they went. ¹⁸ And their rims were tall and awesome, ^(al)and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. ^19 (am)And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; ^(an)and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. ^20 (ao)Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, ^(ap)for the spirit of the living creatures^[f] was in the wheels. ^21 (aq)When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; ^(ar)and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, ^(as)for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

²² Over the heads of the living creatures there was ^(at)the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring ^(au)crystal, spread out above their heads. ²³ And under the expanse their wings were ^(av)stretched out straight, one toward another. ^(aw)And each creature had two wings covering its body. ²⁴ And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings ^(ax)like the sound of many waters, like ^(ay)the sound of the ^(az)Almighty, a sound of tumult ^(ba)like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. ²⁵ And there came a voice from above ^(bb)the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings.

²⁶ And above the expanse over their heads there was ^(bc)the likeness of a throne, ^(bd)in appearance ^(be)like sapphire;^[g] and seated above the likeness of a throne was ^(bf)a likeness with a human appearance. ²⁷ And ^(bg)upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were ^(bh)gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and ^(bi)there was brightness around him.^{[h] 28} Like the appearance of ^(bj)the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.

Such was the appearance of the likeness of ^(bk)the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, ^(bl)I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.