Ezekiel

Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

1It was the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month. I was living far from home with other people from Judah, beside the Kebar River. Then the heavens opened, and God showed me things in a vision.

2In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,

2It was the fifth day of that month. It was also the fifth year since King Jehoiachin was taken away from his own land.

3The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

3God's message came straight to Ezekiel, the son of Buzi. Ezekiel was a priest, a man who helped people worship God. He was in the land of the Chaldeans, beside the Kebar River. There God's hand rested on him with power.

4And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

4I looked, and a strong wind came out of the north. It brought a huge cloud with fire flashing inside it. Bright light shone all around it. In the middle of the fire was a warm golden glow.

5Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

5In the middle of the fire I saw four living creatures. They looked something like people.

6And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

6But each one had four faces. And each one had four wings.

7And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

7Their legs were straight. Their feet were shaped like a calf's hoof. They shone like polished metal.

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

8Under their wings, on all four sides, they had hands like a person's hands. All four had faces and wings.

9Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

9Their wings touched each other. They did not turn when they moved. Each one went straight ahead.

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

10Each one had a face like a person's face in front. On the right was a lion's face. On the left was an ox's face. Each one also had an eagle's face.

11Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

11That is what their faces were like. Their wings were spread up high. Two wings touched the wings of the creature beside them. Two wings covered their bodies.

12And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

12Each one moved straight ahead. Wherever the spirit went, they went. They did not turn as they moved.

13As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

13Between the living creatures was something like hot, glowing coals. It also looked like burning torches. The fire moved back and forth among them. It was very bright, and lightning flashed out of it.

14And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

14The creatures darted back and forth. They moved as fast as a flash of lightning.

15Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

15As I looked at the living creatures, I saw wheels. There was one wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.

16The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

16The wheels shone like a shiny green stone. All four wheels looked the same. Each one looked like a wheel inside another wheel.

17When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.

17When they moved, they could go any of the four ways. They did not have to turn first.

18As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

18The rims of the wheels were tall, and they filled me with wonder. All four rims were covered with eyes all around.

NoteThe old wording says the rims were "dreadful." In 1611 that meant they filled you with awe and wonder, not that they were scary.

19And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

19When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them. When the creatures rose off the ground, the wheels rose too.

20Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

20Wherever the spirit went, they went. The wheels rose right beside them. This was because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

21When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

21When the creatures moved, the wheels moved. When the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still. When the creatures rose off the ground, the wheels rose beside them. This was because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

22Above the heads of the living creatures was something spread out like a wide dome. It sparkled like clear ice, and it filled me with wonder.

NoteThe old wording says "firmament." It means a wide open space spread out overhead, like a dome or a great sheet of sky.

23And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.

23Under the dome, their wings reached out toward each other. Each creature also had two wings covering its body.

24And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

24When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings. It was like rushing water, like the voice of God, like a whole army. When they stood still, they let their wings hang down.

25And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.

25A voice came from above the dome over their heads. It came while they stood still with their wings hanging down.

26And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

26Above the dome over their heads was something like a throne, a king's chair. It looked like a deep blue stone. High on that throne sat a figure shaped like a person.

27And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

27From the waist up, the figure had a warm golden glow, with fire shining inside it. From the waist down, it looked like fire. Bright light shone all around.

28As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. 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 that spake.

28The bright light looked like a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day. This was how the glory of the LORD looked. When I saw it, I fell down with my face to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking.