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

2 On the fifth day of the month, in the fifth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah,

3 The word of the LORD carne to 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 me.

4 And I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud, and a flaming fire and a brightness was round about it, and out of the midst of it there came as it were a figure out of the midst of the fire.

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

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

7 And their legs were straight; and the soles of their feet were like the soles of a calf's feet; and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass.

8 And they had human hands under their wings on their four sides; and their faces and their wings were on their four sides.

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

10 And as for the likeness of their faces, each of the four had the face of a man and the face of a lion on the right side; and each of the four had the face of an ox and the face of an eagle on the left side.

11 And their faces and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of each creature were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

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

13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of a lamp going to and fro among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

14 And the living creatures ran, but returned not, and their appearance was like a flash of lightning.

15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold wheels were upon the earth by the side of each of the four living creatures.

16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like the colour of a beryl; and they four had the one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.

17 When they went, they went upon four sides; and they turned not when they went; and wherever the first one turned to go, the other went after it, and turned not.

18 As for their rims, they were high and they could see; for the rims were full of eyes round about them four.

19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went with them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the ground, the wheels were lifted up with them.

20 Wheresoever the spirit was to go, they went, and the wheels were lifted up with them; for there was a living spirit in the wheels.

21 When the living creatures went, the wheels went; and when the creatures stood, they stood also; and when they were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up with them; for there was a living spirit in the wheels.

22 And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, resembling pure crystal, stretched out over their heads above.

23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other; over and under; two of them covering their faces and two covering their bodies.

24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of God, like the sound of speech in a host; and when they stopped, they let down their wings.

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

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

27 And I saw as it were the appearance of God, and the appearance of fire within it round about from his loins and upward; and from his loins and downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire shining round about.

28 As the appearance of the rainbow when it is in the clouds in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about him. Such was the vision 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 who spoke.