| 1:1 | In the thirtieth year,* on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles* at the Kebar River,* the heavens opened* and I saw a divine vision.* |
| 1:2 | (On the fifth day of the month – it was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile – |
| 1:3 | the word of the Lord came to the priest Ezekiel* the son of Buzi,* at the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.* The hand* of the Lord came on him there). |
| 1:4 | As I watched, I noticed* a windstorm* coming from the north – an enormous cloud, with lightning flashing,* such that bright light* rimmed it and came from* it like glowing amber* from the middle of a fire. |
| 1:5 | In the fire* were what looked like* four living beings.* In their appearance they had human form,* |
| 1:6 | but each had four faces and four wings. |
| 1:7 | Their legs were straight, but the soles of their feet were like calves’ feet. They gleamed* like polished bronze. |
| 1:8 | They had human hands* under their wings on their four sides. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, |
| 1:9 | their wings touched each other; they did not turn as they moved, but went straight ahead.* |
| 1:10 | Their faces had this appearance: Each of the four had the face of a man, with the face of a lion on the right, the face of an ox on the left and also the face of an eagle.* |
| 1:11 | Their wings were spread out above them; each had two wings touching the wings of one of the other beings on either side and two wings covering their bodies. |
| 1:12 | Each moved straight ahead* – wherever the spirit* would go, they would go, without turning as they went. |
| 1:13 | In the middle* of the living beings was something like* burning coals of fire* or like torches. It moved back and forth among the living beings. It was bright, and lightning was flashing out of the fire. |
| 1:14 | The living beings moved backward and forward as quickly as flashes of lightning.* |
| 1:15 | Then I looked,* and I saw one wheel* on the ground* beside each of the four beings. |
| 1:16 | The appearance of the wheels and their construction* was like gleaming jasper,* and all four wheels looked alike. Their structure was like a wheel within a wheel.* |
| 1:17 | When they moved they would go in any of the four directions they faced without turning as they moved. |
| 1:18 | Their rims were high and awesome,* and the rims of all four wheels were full of eyes all around. |
| 1:19 | When the living beings moved, the wheels beside them moved; when the living beings rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up too. |
| 1:20 | Wherever the spirit* would go, they would go,* and the wheels would rise up beside them because the spirit* of the living being was in the wheel. |
| 1:21 | When the living beings moved, the wheels moved, and when they stopped moving, the wheels stopped.* When they rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up from the ground; the wheels rose up beside them because the spirit of the living being was in the wheel. |
| 1:22 | Over the heads of the living beings was something like a platform,* glittering awesomely like ice,* stretched out over their heads. |
| 1:23 | Under the platform their wings were stretched out, each toward the other. Each of the beings also had two wings covering* its body. |
| 1:24 | When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings – it was like the sound of rushing waters, or the voice of the Almighty,* or the tumult* of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. |
| 1:25 | Then there was a voice from above the platform over their heads when they stood still.* |
| 1:26 | Above the platform over their heads was something like a sapphire shaped like a throne. High above on the throne was a form that appeared to be a man. |
| 1:27 | I saw an amber glow* like a fire enclosed all around* from his waist up. From his waist down I saw something that looked like fire. There was a brilliant light around it, |
| 1:28 | like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds after the rain.* This was the appearance of the surrounding brilliant light; it looked like the glory of the Lord. When I saw* it, I threw myself face down, and I heard a voice speaking. |
Ezekiel 1 - NET Bible [draft]
