Ezek 1
1
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of
the month, that I was in the midst of the captivity by the river of Chobar; and the
heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2
On the fifth day of the month; this was the fifth year of the captivity of king Joakim.
3
And the word of the Lord came to Jezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land
of the Chaldeans, by the river of Chobar; and the hand of the Lord was upon me. Heb. and Alex. +there
4
And I looked, and, behold, a sweeping wind came from the north, and a great cloud
on it, and there was brightness round about it, and gleaming fire, and in the midst
of it as it were the appearance of amber in the midst of the fire, and brightness
in it.
5
And in the midst as it were the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their
appearance; the likeness of a man was upon them.
6
And each one had four faces, and each one had four wings.
7
And their legs were straight; and their feet were winged, and there were sparks, like
gleaming brass, and their wings were light.
8
And the hand of a man was under their wings on their four Gr. parts sides.
9
Alex. +’and their faces and the wings of them four were joined one to another.’ And the faces of them four turned not when
they went; they went everyone straight
forward.
10
And the likeness of their faces was the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the
right of the four; and the face of a calf on the left of the four; and the face of
an eagle to the four.
11
And the four had their wings spread out above; each one had two joined to one another,
and two covered Lit. over their body their bodies.
12
And each one went straight forward: wherever the spirit was going they went, and turned
not back.
13
And in the midst of the living creatures there was an appearance as of burning coals
of fire, as an appearance of lamps i. e. revolving turning among the living creatures; and the brightness of fire, and out
of the fire
came forth lightning.
14
Alex. and Heb. supply ver.And the living creatures ran and returned at the appearance of Bezec.’
15
And I looked, and, behold, the four had each one wheel on the ground near the living
creatures.
16
And the appearance of the wheels was as the appearance of beryl: and the four had
one likeness: and their work was as it were a wheel in a wheel.
17
They went on their four Or, parts sides: they turned not as they went;
18
neither did their backs turn: and they were high: and I beheld them, and the backs
of them four were full of eyes round about.
19
And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures
lifted themselves off the earth. the wheels were lifted off.
20
Wherever the cloud happened to be, there was the spirit Or, with power ready to go: the wheels went and were lifted up with
sc. the living creatures probably them; because the spirit of life was in the wheels.
21
When those went, the wheels went; and when those stood, the wheels stood; and when
those lifted themselves off the earth, they were lifted off with them: for the spirit
of life was in the wheels.
22
And the likeness over the heads of the living creatures was as a firmament, as the
appearance of crystal, spread out over their wings above.
23
And their wings were spread out under the firmament, Or, clapping or making a noise; Alex. +sunezeugmenai, joined with reaching
one to the other; two wings to each, covering their bodies.
24
And I heard the sound of their wings when they went, as the sound of much water: Alex. +’as the sound of the Mighty One, when
they went there was the sound of speech
as the sound of an army,’ nearly according to the Heb. and when they stood, their wings Gr. ceased were let down.
25
And behold! a voice from above the firmament
26
that was over their head, Alex. +’when they stood their wings were let down.’ there was as the appearance of a sapphire stone,
and the likeness of a throne upon
it: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as an appearance of a man
above.
27
And I saw as it were the resemblance of amber Heb. and Alex. «as the appearance of fire within it round about.’ from the appearance
of the loins and upwards, and from the appearance of the loins
and under I saw an appearance of fire, and the brightness thereof round about.
28
As the appearance of the bow when it is in the cloud in days of rain, so was the Gr. standing, or, condition; Ald. orasiv
form of brightness round about.