God's New Revelations

The Prophet Ezekiel

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- Chapter 1 -

(Psalm 137:1–9)
1
In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.(a)
2
On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—
3
the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans (b) by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him.

The Four Living Creatures

4
I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire was a gleam like amber,(c)
5
and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form,
6
but each had four faces and four wings.
7
Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze.
8
Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four living creatures had faces and wings,
9
and their wings were touching one another. They did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead.
10
The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and also the face of an eagle.
11
Such were their faces. Their wings were spread upward; each had two wings touching the wings of the creature on either side, and two wings covering its body.
12
Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved.
13
In the midst of the living creatures was the appearance of glowing coals of fire, or of torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it.
14
The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning.

The Four Wheels

15
When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.
16
The workmanship of the wheels looked like the gleam of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. Their workmanship looked like a wheel within a wheel.
17
As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved.
18
Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.
19
So as the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose.
20
Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
21
When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

The Divine Glory

22
Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal.
23
And under the expanse, their wings stretched out toward one another. Each one also had two wings covering its body.
24
When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty,(d) like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
25
And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood still with their wings lowered.
26
Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man.
27
From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around. And from what seemed to be His waist down, I saw what looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him.
28
The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 Or from God
(b)1:3 That is, the Babylonians
(c)1:4 Or The center of the fire looked like glowing metal; similarly in verse 27
(d)1:24 Hebrew Shaddai
(Psalm 137:1–9)
1
Now in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.(a)
2
In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity,
3
the LORD’s(b) word came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the LORD’s hand was there on him.

The Four Living Creatures

4
I looked, and behold,(c) a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of the middle of it as it were glowing metal, out of the middle of the fire.
5
Out of its center came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man.
6
Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings.
7
Their feet were straight feet. The sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze.
8
They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had their faces and their wings like this:
9
Their wings were joined to one another. They didn’t turn when they went. Each one went straight forward.
10
As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man. The four of them had the face of a lion on the right side. The four of them had the face of an ox on the left side. The four of them also had the face of an eagle.
11
Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies.
12
Each one went straight forward. Where the spirit was to go, they went. They didn’t turn when they went.
13
As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. The fire went up and down among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning went out of the fire.
14
The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

The Four Wheels

15
Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.
16
The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl. The four of them had one likeness. Their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.
17
When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn when they went.
18
As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around.
19
When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. When the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20
Wherever the spirit was to go, they went. The spirit was to go there. The wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
21
When those went, these went. When those stood, these stood. When those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

The Divine Glory

22
Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like an awesome crystal to look at, stretched out over their heads above.
23
Under the expanse, their wings were straight, one toward the other. Each one had two which covered on this side, and each one had two which covered their bodies on that side.
24
When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army. When they stood, they let down their wings.
25
There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads. When they stood, they let down their wings.
26
Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire (d) stone. On the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above.
27
I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.
28
As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the LORD’s glory. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
(b)1:3 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.
(c)1:4 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
(d)1:26 or, lapis lazuli
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