1 ¶ Now when I was in my thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives beside the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

2 On the fifth day of the month, during the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,

3 The word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the LORD laid his hand upon me there.

4 ¶ As I looked, I saw a whirlwind come out of the north, a large cloud, with fire enveloping it, and a brilliant glow all around, and an amber glow came out of its center, out of the center of the fire.

5 Also out of it came what appeared to be four living beings. And this is a description of what they looked like; they had the look of a man.

6 But each one had four faces, and each one had four wings.

7 Their legs were straight; and their feet were like the hooves of a calf: and they glittered like polished brass.

8 And under their wings they had the hands of a man on each of their four sides; and their faces and wings were like this.

9 One wing touched the other; they did not turn as they moved; but each one went straight forward.

10 As for the look of their faces, they all had the face of a man, but all four had the face of a lion on the right side: and the face of an ox on the left side; the four also had the face of an eagle.

11 Such were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; each had two wings touching those of another, and two wings covering its body.

12 And they each went straight forward: they went wherever the spirit wanted to go; and did not turn as they went.

13 As for the appearance of the living creatures, they had the look of glowing coals and torches: and fire flashed back and forth between the living creatures; the fire flashed, and out of it streaked lightning.

14 And the living creatures darted back and forth like a flash of lightning.

15 ¶ Now as I watched the living creatures, there was one wheel on the ground beside each living creature, that had four faces.

16 As to the appearance of the wheels and their construction, in appearance they gleamed like a beryl: and each of the four were formed alike: and their look and design had the appearance of a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

17 Whenever they moved, they moved in one of the four directions: and they did not turn as they moved.

18 As for their rims, they were so high that they were frightening; and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around.

19 And when the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them: and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.

20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

21 When those went, these went; and when those stood still, these stood still; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose up beside them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

22 And over the heads of the living creatures was a shape like the heavens which looked like dazzling crystal, spread out over their heads.

23 And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other: each one had two wings, which covered its body one on each side.

24 And when they moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of mighty water, like the thunder of the Almighty, the noise of a storm, like the sound of an army: when they stood still, they let down their wings.

25 And a voice came from above the expanse that was over their heads, when they stood still, and had let down their wings.

26 ¶ And above the expanse that was over their heads was what looked like a throne made of sapphire: and above it on the likeness of a throne was a figure that looked like a man.

27 From what seemed to be his waist up, I saw an amber glow, with the appearance of fire enclosed round about within it, and from what seemed to be his waist downward, I saw what looked like fire, and there was a brightness all around him.

28 And the glow all around him had the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on the day of rain. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one who spoke.