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.]
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 lo! 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.