Book of Ezekiel, Chapter 1
Ezekiel 1 RSV - Revised Standard VersionChapter 1 of Ezekiel—Revised Standard Version (RSV)
- ¶ In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
- On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoi′achin),
- the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chalde′ans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was upon him there.
- ¶ As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness round about it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming bronze.
- And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the form of men,
- but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.
- Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze.
- Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus:
- their wings touched one another; they went every one straight forward, without turning as they went.
- As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man in front;[a] the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle at the back.[b]
- Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies.
- And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went.
- In the midst of[c] the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
- And the living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.
- ¶ Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.[d]
- As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of a chrysolite; and the four had the same likeness, their construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel.
- When they went, they went in any of their four directions[e] without turning as they went.
- The four wheels had rims and they had spokes;[f] and their rims were full of eyes round about.
- And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.
- Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
- When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
- ¶ Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, shining like crystal,[g] spread out above their heads.
- And under the firmament their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another; and each creature had two wings covering its body.
- And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the thunder of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of a host; when they stood still, they let down their wings.
- And there came a voice from above the firmament over their heads; when they stood still, they let down their wings.
- ¶ And above the firmament over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire;[h] and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness as it were of a human form.
- And upward from what had the appearance of his loins I saw as it were gleaming bronze, like the appearance of fire enclosed round about; and downward from what had the appearance of his loins I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness round about him.[i]
- Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about.
¶ Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
FOOTNOTES
- ^ Cn: Heb lacks in front
- ^ Cn: Heb lacks at the back
- ^ Gk Old Latin: Heb And the likeness of
- ^ Heb of their faces
- ^ Heb on their four sides
- ^ Cn: Heb uncertain
- ^ Gk: Heb awesome crystal
- ^ Heb lapis lazuli
- ^ Or it
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