1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

2 On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—

In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

3 The word of the LORD came to Ezekiel, son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Kebar River, and there the hand of the LORD was upon him.

The word of the LORD came expressly unto 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 upon him.

4 I looked, and there was a stormy wind coming from the north, a great cloud with flashing fire inside it and a bright light surrounding it. From within the fire there was something that gleamed like amber.

And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

5 From its center came the likeness of four living creatures, and this was their appearance: they had a human-like form.

Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

6 Each of them had four faces and four wings.

And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of a calf’s foot, gleaming like polished bronze.

And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

8 Under their wings on their four sides were human hands. All four of them had faces and wings.

And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

9 Their wings touched one another. They did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead.

Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

10 Their faces had this appearance: Each of the four had the face of a human, on the right side the face of a lion, on the left side the face of an ox, and each also had the face of an eagle.

As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

11 Their faces and their wings were spread out above. Each had two wings touching those of another and two covering their bodies.

Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

12 Each went straight ahead in the direction the spirit was guiding them. They did not turn as they moved.

And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the living creatures. It was radiant, and lightning flashed out of it.

As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

14 The living creatures darted back and forth like flashes of lightning.

And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw one wheel on the ground beside each of the four living creatures.

Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

16 The appearance of the wheels and their construction was like the gleam of beryl, and all four looked alike. Their appearance and structure were as if a wheel were within a wheel.

The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

17 They could move in any of the four directions without turning as they moved.

When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.

18 Their rims were tall and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.

As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose.

And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

21 When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when they stood still, the wheels stood still; and when they rose from the ground, the wheels rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was something like an expanse, gleaming like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads.

And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

23 Under the expanse, their wings were spread out straight, one toward another, and each creature had two wings covering its body on one side and two wings covering its body on the other side.

And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.

24 When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of mighty waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the noise of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings.

And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

25 A voice came from above the expanse over their heads as they stood still with their wings lowered.

And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.

26 Above the expanse over their heads was something like a throne, resembling a sapphire stone. And on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a human seated above it.

And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

27 I saw something like a gleaming metal, as if it were glowing amber, with a fiery appearance all around it. From what appeared to be his waist upward, and from his waist downward, I saw an appearance like fire and a brilliant radiance surrounding him.

And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell face down and heard the voice of one speaking.

As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This 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 a voice of one that spake.