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The Prophet Ezekiel

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- Chapter 1 -

(Psalm 137:1–9)
1
“In the thirtieth year of the 50-year Jubilee Cycle, I, Ezekiel, was living among the Israelite people by the Kebar Canal, which was south of Babylon. The Babylonians had taken us from the land of Judah and brought us here. On the fifth day of the fourth month of that year, it was as though the sky opened and I saw visions from God.
2
The fifth day of the fourth month was almost five years after King Jehoiachin had been exiled.”
3
So God gave Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, messages in Babylonia while he was beside the Kebar Canal. Yahweh’s power went to him there.

The Four Living Creatures

4
In one of the visions, I saw a windstorm coming from the north. There was a huge cloud, and lightning was flashing within it continually, and a brilliant light surrounded the cloud. In the center of where the lightning was flashing, there was amber-colored fire.
5
In the center of the storm I saw what resembled four living creatures. They resembled humans,
6
but each of them had four faces and four wings.
7
Their legs were like human legs, but their feet resembled the hooves of calves that shined like polished bronze.
8
On the four sides of their bodies under their wings there were hands like humans have.
9
As the four creatures stood there, they formed a circle, with their wings touching each other. They did not turn when they were moving; they went straight ahead.
10
Each of the creatures had four faces. In front there was a face that resembled a human face. The face on the right side resembled a lion’s face. The face on the left side resembled an ox’s face. The face in back resembled an eagle’s face.
11
Two of each creature’s wings were lifted up and touched the wings of the creatures that were on either side of it. The other two wings were folded against the creature’s body.
12
The creatures went straight ahead in whatever direction the Spirit of God, who controlled them, wanted them to go, without changing directions while they were moving.
13
The four creatures resembled burning coals or torches. A blazing fire moved back and forth among the creatures, and lightning flashed from among them.
14
The creatures were moving back and forth very rapidly, so that they looked like flashes of lightning.

The Four Wheels

15
While I looked at the four living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each of them.
16
Each of the wheels was the same, and they all shone like beryl. Each wheel seemed to have one wheel inside another wheel.
17
Whenever they moved, they would go straight in one of the four directions that the creatures were facing; they did not turn in another direction while they moved.
18
The rims of the wheels were imposing and frightening, and they were covered with eyes.
19
Whenever the living creatures moved, the wheels moved with them. So whenever the creatures rose up from the ground, the wheels also rose up.
20
Wherever the Spirit of God, who controlled the creatures, wanted them to go, they went; and the wheels went with them, because their spirit controlled the wheels.
21
Whenever the creatures moved, the wheels moved. Whenever the creatures stood still, the wheels stopped. Whenever the creatures rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up with them.

The Divine Glory

22
Above the heads of the creatures there was something that resembled a dome. It glistened as ice shines, and it was awesome.
23
Under the dome, the creatures stretched out their wings. Each one had two wings that touched the wings of the creatures on either side, and two wings that covered his own body.
24
Whenever the creatures moved, their wings made a sound that resembled the crashing of waves in the sea. It also sounded like the voice of God Almighty, and like the noise of a huge army marching. Whenever the creatures stood still on the ground, they lowered their wings.
25
While they stood on the ground with their wings lowered, there was a voice from the dome that was over their heads.
26
Above the dome was something that resembled a huge throne that was made of a huge sapphire. Sitting on the throne was someone who resembled a human.
27
I saw that above his waist he resembled metal that was glowing as though it had a very hot fire inside it. And I saw that below his waist there was a very brilliant light that surrounded him.
28
It shone like a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day. That was the brilliant light that represented the presence of Yahweh. When I saw it, I threw myself flat onto the ground, and I heard him speak!
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(Psalm 137:1–9)
1
Now in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.(a)
2
In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity,
3
the LORD’s(b) word came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the LORD’s hand was there on him.

The Four Living Creatures

4
I looked, and behold,(c) a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of the middle of it as it were glowing metal, 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 didn’t 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 was to go, they went. They didn’t 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 as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

The Four Wheels

15
Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, 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 one likeness. Their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.
17
When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn when they went.
18
As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around.
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 was to go, they went. The spirit was to go there. The wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
21
When those went, these went. When those stood, these stood. When those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

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 straight, one toward the other. Each one had two which covered on this side, and each one had two which covered their bodies on that side.
24
When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise 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
Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire (d) stone. On the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above.
27
I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.
28
As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the LORD’s glory. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
(b)1:3 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.
(c)1:4 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
(d)1:26 or, lapis lazuli
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