Ezekiel 1

1 ¹In the thirtieth year, fourth month, fifth day, as I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens opened and I saw visions of our Father. ^a a v1 The thirtieth year was most likely Ezekiel's own age — the year priests traditionally entered temple service.

²On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin, ³the word of our Father came directly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Babylonians by the Kebar River; there the hand of our Father was upon him.

⁴I looked: a windstorm came from the north—a huge cloud, fire flashing, brilliant light all around. Inside the fire, something like glowing metal, ⁵and inside was the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had a human form, ⁶but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. ⁷Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet like a calf's hoof, gleaming like polished bronze. ⁸Human hands were under their wings on their four sides; all four had faces and wings, ⁹and their wings joined one another; each went straight ahead, not turning as they moved.

¹⁰As for their faces: each of the four had a human face, a lion's face on the right, an ox's face on the left, and each an eagle's face. ¹¹Such were their faces. Their wings spread upward; each had two wings joined to another's on either side, and two covering its body. ¹²Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they moved. ¹³The living creatures looked like burning coals of fire, like torches. Fire moved back and forth among them; it was bright, and lightning flashed from it. ¹⁴And the living creatures darted back and forth like flashes of lightning.

¹⁵As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each, with its four faces. ¹⁶This was the wheels' appearance and design: they gleamed like topaz, all four alike, each seeming to be a wheel within a wheel. ¹⁷As they moved, they went in any of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn as the creatures went. ¹⁸Their rims were tall and terrifying, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. ¹⁹When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose too. ²⁰Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²¹When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when they stood still, the wheels stood still; when they rose from the ground, the wheels rose with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

²²Over the heads of the living creatures was a likeness of an expanse, gleaming like awe-inspiring crystal, spread above their heads. ²³Under the expanse their wings stretched straight toward each other; each had two covering its body. ²⁴When they moved, I heard their wings—like the roar of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like an army's noise. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

²⁵A voice came from above the expanse over their heads; when they stood, they lowered their wings. ²⁶Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne, like sapphire in appearance; and seated above the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a human. ²⁷From what appeared to be his waist up I saw what looked like gleaming metal ringed with fire; from what appeared to be his waist down I saw what looked like fire, with brilliant light surrounding him. ²⁸The glow around him was like a rainbow in rainclouds. So looked the likeness of our Father's glory. Seeing this, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking to me. ^b b v28 Ezekiel's throne-vision is the glory of our Father — the same throne John later sees in heaven (Revelation 4), ringed by the rainbow that recalls his covenant mercy.