Study Desk

Ezekiel's Inaugural Vision

In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles^(a) by the Kebar River,^(b) the heavens were opened^(c) and I saw visions^(d) of God.

On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin^(e)—

the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel^(f) the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.^[a] There the hand of the Lord was on him.^(g)

I looked, and I saw a windstorm^(h) coming out of the north⁽ⁱ⁾—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,^(j)

and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.^(k) In appearance their form was human,^(l)

but each of them had four faces^(m) and four wings.

Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.⁽ⁿ⁾

Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.^(o) All four of them had faces and wings,

and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.^(p)

Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.^(q)

Such were their faces. They each had two wings^(r) spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body.

Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.^(s)

The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals^(t) of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning^(u) flashed out of it.

The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.^(v)

As I looked at the living creatures,^(w) I saw a wheel^(x) on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.

This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz,^(y) and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel.

As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction^(z) as the creatures went.

Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes^(aa) all around.

When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose.

Wherever the spirit would go, they would go,^(ab) and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.^(ac)

Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault,^(ad) sparkling like crystal, and awesome.

Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body.

When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing^(ae) waters, like the voice^(af) of the Almighty,^[b] like the tumult of an army.^(ag) When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings.

Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne^(ah) of lapis lazuli,^(ai) and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.^(aj)

I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.^(ak)

Like the appearance of a rainbow^(al) in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.^(am) This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory^(an) of the Lord . When I saw it, I fell facedown,^(ao) and I heard the voice of one speaking.