Excerpt
Ezekiel
1:1 Now it happened in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 1:2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity, 1:3 the word of Yahweh came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Yahweh was there on him. 1:4 I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of its midst as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire. 1:5 Out of its midst came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. 1:6 Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings. 1:7 Their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass. 1:8 They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings thus: 1:9 their wings were joined one to another; they didn't turn when they went; each one went straight forward. 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle. 1:11 Their faces and their wings were separate above; two wings of each one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. 1:12 Each one went straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went; they didn't turn when they went. 1:13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: the fire went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 1:14 The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. 1:15 Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it. 1:16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl: and they four had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel. 1:17 When they went, they went in their four directions: they didn't turn when they went. 1:18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes all around. 1:19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 1:20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 1:21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels....