1In the fifth day of the fourth month of the thirtieth year (It is not clear what event this 30^th year is counted from – possibly from the beginning of the reign of Nabopolassar, father of Nebuchadnezzar, which began the era of the Babylonian empire in 625 B.C), as I (Ezekiel) was among the exiles by the Chebar (Kebar) River, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 2In the fifth day of the month of the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, 3The word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel, the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river, Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was upon him.

4And I (Ezekiel) looked, and a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire enfolding itself, and a brightness surrounding it, and the center of it was the color of amber, like glowing metal taken from out of the fire. 5And out of the center of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the form of a man. 6But each one had four faces, and four wings. 7And their legs were straight; and their feet were like a calf's hooves; and they shone like the color of burnished bronze. 8And they had human hands under their wings on their four sides; and all four of them had four faces and four wings. 9Their wings were joined one to another; they did not turn when they went; each one went straight forward. 10As for their faces, all four had the face of a man, the face of a lion on the right side; and the face of an ox on the left side; and they each also had the face of an eagle. 11Thus were their faces. All four creatures had two wings spreading out and upward; each wing touching that of the creature on either side, and their other two wings covered their bodies. 12And each one went straight forward; wherever the Spirit would go, they went; without turning as they went. 13The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire, or like the torch lamps; which went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and lightning flashed out of the fire. 14And the living creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.

15As I beheld the living creatures, I saw one wheel on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. 16The appearance of the wheels was like the color of a beryl; and they four all looked alike; each wheel had a second wheel, within it, turning sidewise. 17And they could move in any of the four directions that they faced, without turning as they went. 18Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. 19And when the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels also rose. 20Wherever the Spirit would go, they went; and the wheels would rise with them; for the Spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 21When the creatures moved, they also moved; and when they stood still, these stood still; and when the creatures rose up from the earth, the wheels were lifted beside them; for the Spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

22And spread out above the heads of the living creature was an expanse that looked like sparkling crystal. 23And under this their wings were stretched out, the one toward the other; and each one had two wings which covered their bodies. 24As the creatures moved, the sound of their wings was like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, or like the shouts of an army; and when they stood still, they lowered their wings. 25And then there came a voice from the sparkling crystal expanse above their heads, when they stood, with their wings lowered. 26And above the sparkling crystal expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, with the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon this throne was the figure of a Man. 27And from of His waste upward, I saw the color of amber, with the appearance of fire around within it, and from His waste downward, it also looked like fire, and a brilliant halo surrounded Him, 28Much like the rainbow that is seen in the cloud in the day of rain, such was the appearance of the brightness about Him. It was in appearance like the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.