1And it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth of the month, as I was in the midst of the exile by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2In the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of king Jehoiachin—
3the word of YHWH surely came to Ezekiel the son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of YHWH was there upon him.
4And I looked, and behold, a spirit (ruach) of storm coming from the north, a great cloud, and fire flashing itself, and a brightness to it round about; and from its midst, like the gleam of amber, from the midst of the fire.
5And from its midst the likeness of four living creatures (chai). And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man (adam).
6And four faces to each one, and four wings to each one of them.
7And their legs were a straight leg, and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot, and they sparkled like the gleam of burnished bronze.
8And the hands of a man (adam) were under their wings on their four sides; and their faces and their wings belonged to the four of them.
9Their wings were joined a woman (ishah) to her sister; they did not turn in their going, each (ish) went toward the direction of his face.
10And the likeness of their faces: the face of a man (adam); and the face of a lion on the right to the four of them; and the face of an ox on the left to the four of them; and the face of an eagle to the four of them.
11And their faces and their wings were divided from above; to each (ish) two were joined to a man (ish), and two covered their bodies.
12And each (ish) went toward the direction of his face; wherever the spirit (ruach) would go, they went; they did not turn in their going.
13And the likeness of the living creatures (chai): their appearance was like coals of fire, burning like the appearance of the torches; it went about among the living creatures (chai), and there was brightness to the fire, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
14And the living creatures (chai) ran and returned, like the appearance of the flash of lightning.
15And I looked at the living creatures (chai), and behold, one wheel was on the earth beside the living creatures (chai), at its four faces.
16The appearance of the wheels and their work was like the gleam of beryl; and the four of them had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within the wheel.
17On their four sides, when they went they went; they did not turn in their going.
18And their rims—they were high, and they were dreadful; and the rims of the four of them were full of eyes round about.
19And when the living creatures (chai) went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures (chai) were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20Wherever the spirit (ruach) would go, they went—there the spirit (ruach) was to go; and the wheels were lifted up alongside them, for the spirit (ruach) of the living creature (chai) 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 alongside them, for the spirit (ruach) of the living creature (chai) was in the wheels.
22And the likeness over the heads of the living creature (chai) was a firmament, like the gleam of the awesome ice, stretched out over their heads above.
23And under the firmament their wings were straight, a woman (ishah) toward her sister; to each (ish) two covered them, and to each (ish) two covered them—their bodies.
24And I heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of many waters, like the voice of Shaddai, when they went—a sound of tumult like the sound of a camp; when they stood, they let down their wings.
25And there was a voice from above the firmament that was over their heads; when they stood, they let down their wings.
26And above the firmament that was over their heads, like the appearance of a sapphire stone, was the likeness of a throne; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness like the appearance of a man (adam) upon it above.
27And I saw like the gleam of amber, like the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward; and from the appearance of his loins and downward I saw like the appearance of fire, and brightness to it round about.
28Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on a day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of YHWH. And I saw, and I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice speaking.