Ezekiel’s Prophecy at Kebar
1 Now on the fourth day of the fifth month, in my 30th year, while I was among the captives by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2 In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity, 3 the word of the LORD came to 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 on him.
Vision of Four Cherubim
4 I looked, and a windstorm was coming from the north: a great cloud, with flashing lightning and a brightness around it, and out of the middle of it was something like glowing metal coming 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 did not 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 would go, they went. They did not 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 like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
The Four Wheels
15 Now as I saw the living creatures, 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 the same likeness. Their appearance and workmanship was like a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went in their four directions. They did not turn when they went.
The Spirit and the Wheels
18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful, and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around them.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 would go, they went. The wheels were lifted up beside them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures went, they went. When the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still. When the creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose beside them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
Vision of 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 stretched out, one toward the other. Each one had two wings which covered its body on one side and on the other side.
24 When they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound 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 High above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne, like a sapphire stone. On the throne was a likeness of a man on it from above. 27 I saw it was like glowing metal, like the appearance of fire inside and surrounding it, from his waist up, and from the appearance of his waist down, I saw something like fire, and there was brightness surrounding him.
28 Like the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud when it rains, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.