1 In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the Chebar River, the heavens opened, and I saw visions of God. 2 On the fifth day of the month, in the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin, 3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar River. The hand of the LORD was upon him there. 4 I looked, and there was a storm wind coming from the north, a great cloud with flashing fire and brightness all around it. In its midst, in the midst of the fire, was something like gleaming metal. 5 In its midst was the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had a human form. 6 Each had four faces, and each had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s hoof. They gleamed like polished bronze. 8 Under their wings, on their four sides, were human hands. All four had faces and wings. 9 Their wings touched one another. They did not turn as they moved; each went straight ahead. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. All four had a lion’s face on the right and an ox’s face on the left, and all four had an eagle’s face. 11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Each had two touching another’s, and two covering their bodies. 12 Each went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit was to go, they went, without turning as they moved. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like torches. The fire moved among the living creatures; it was bright, and lightning came out of it. 14 The living creatures darted back and forth like flashes of lightning. 15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each of the creatures with its four faces. 16 The appearance and workmanship of the wheels were like the gleam of beryl. All four had the same likeness. Their appearance and workmanship were as though a wheel were within a wheel. 17 They could move toward any of their four sides without turning as they moved. 18 Their rims were high and awe-inspiring, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. 19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them. When the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. 20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there the spirit was to go. The wheels rose alongside them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 21 When they moved, the wheels moved; when they stood still, the wheels stood still. When they rose from the earth, the wheels rose alongside them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 22 Above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an expanse, like the appearance of awe-inspiring ice, stretched out above their heads. 23 Under the expanse their wings stretched straight toward one another. Each creature had two covering it, and each had two covering its body. 24 As they moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumultuous sound like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. 25 A voice came from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. 26 Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne, like the appearance of a sapphire stone. High above, on the likeness of the throne, was a likeness with a human appearance. 27 From what appeared to be his waist upward, I saw something like gleaming metal, with what looked like fire within it all around. From what appeared to be his waist downward, I saw something like fire, with brightness all around him. 28 Like the appearance of the rainbow in the cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.