| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. | 1In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles at the Kebar River, the heavens opened and I saw a divine vision. |
| 2On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), | 2(On the fifth day of the month--it was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile-- |
| 3the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the LORD was upon him there. | 3the word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel the son of Buzi, at the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. The hand of the LORD came on him there). |
| 4As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. | 4As I watched, I noticed a windstorm coming from the north--an enormous cloud, with lightning flashing, such that bright light rimmed it and came from it like glowing amber from the middle of a fire. |
| 5And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, | 5In the fire were what looked like four living beings. In their appearance they had human form, |
| 6but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. | 6but each had four faces and four wings. |
| 7Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. | 7Their legs were straight, but the soles of their feet were like calves' feet. They gleamed like polished bronze. |
| 8Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: | 8They had human hands under their wings on their four sides. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, |
| 9their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. | 9their wings touched each other; they did not turn as they moved, but went straight ahead. |
| 10As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. | 10Their faces had this appearance: Each of the four had the face of a man, with the face of a lion on the right, the face of an ox on the left and also the face of an eagle. |
| 11Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. | 11Their wings were spread out above them; each had two wings touching the wings of one of the other beings on either side and two wings covering their bodies. |
| 12And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. | 12Each moved straight ahead--wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. |
| 13As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. | 13In the middle of the living beings was something like burning coals of fire or like torches. It moved back and forth among the living beings. It was bright, and lightning was flashing out of the fire. |
| 14And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning. | 14The living beings moved backward and forward as quickly as flashes of lightning. |
| 15Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. | 15Then I looked, and I saw one wheel on the ground beside each of the four beings. |
| 16As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. | 16The appearance of the wheels and their construction was like gleaming jasper, and all four wheels looked alike. Their structure was like a wheel within a wheel. |
| 17When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went. | 17When they moved they would go in any of the four directions they faced without turning as they moved. |
| 18And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. | 18Their rims were high and awesome, and the rims of all four wheels were full of eyes all around. |
| 19And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. | 19When the living beings moved, the wheels beside them moved; when the living beings rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up too. |
| 20Wherever 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. | 20Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise up beside them because the spirit of the living being was in the wheel. |
| 21When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. | 21When the living beings moved, the wheels moved, and when they stopped moving, the wheels stopped. When they rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up from the ground; the wheels rose up beside them because the spirit of the living being was in the wheel. |
| 22Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. | 22Over the heads of the living beings was something like a platform, glittering awesomely like ice, stretched out over their heads. |
| 23And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. | 23Under the platform their wings were stretched out, each toward the other. Each of the beings also had two wings covering its body. |
| 24And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. | 24When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings--it was like the sound of rushing waters, or the voice of the Almighty, or the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. |
| 25And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings. | 25Then there was a voice from above the platform over their heads when they stood still. |
| 26And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. | 26Above the platform over their heads was something like a sapphire shaped like a throne. High above on the throne was a form that appeared to be a man. |
| 27And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. | 27I saw an amber glow like a fire enclosed all around from his waist up. From his waist down I saw something that looked like fire. There was a brilliant light around it, |
| 28Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking. | 28like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds after the rain. This was the appearance of the surrounding brilliant light; it looked like the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I threw myself face down, and I heard a voice speaking. |
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