International Standard Version

King James Bible

1On the fifth day of the fourth month of the thirtieth year of the exile to Babylon, while I was among the captives on the bank of the Chebar River, heaven opened up and I saw visions from God.

1Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

2On the fifth day of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's imprisonment in exile,

2In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

3a message from the LORD came directly to Buzi's son Ezekiel, the priest, by the Chebar River in the land of the Chaldeans. The hand of the LORD rested upon him there.

3The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

4I was amazed to see a wind storm blow in from the north, consisting of a massive cloud and fire that was flashing back and forth, surrounded by bright light. From deep within the cloud, something was shining that appeared to have a color like bronze that had been placed in fire until it glowed.

4And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

5Deep inside it, the likenesses of four living beings were visible. Their appearances were similar to human forms,

5Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

6except that they each had four faces, four pairs of wings,

6And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

7and straight legs. Their feet resembled calves' hooves, but they gleamed like polished bronze.

7And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

8From under their wings there were human hands on their four sides. Now as to their four faces and four pairs of wings,

8And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

9their pairs of wings overlapped each other. They moved in straight directions without turning their faces around as they moved.

9Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

10The form of their faces was human, but each of the four also had the face of a lion to the right, the face of an ox to the left, and the face of an eagle behind them.

10As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

11That's what their faces were like. Their wings spread out above and around them, one pair overlapping another, with one pair covering themselves.

11Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

12Each moved in straight directions. Wherever they decided to go, they went without turning themselves.

12And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

13Now, in the midst of the living beings there was something that appeared to glow like coals kindled by a fire, like torches that moved back and forth between the living beings. The fire was dazzling, and lightning flashed from the fire.

13As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

14The living beings moved around, in appearance resembling lightning.

14And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

15As I observed the living beings, I noticed one wheel on the earth beside each being—that is, for the four of them.

15Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

16Their wheels and their construction details looked like gold-colored beryl. Each wheel was identical in form to the others, and they appeared to have been constructed and designed as if one wheel were within another.

16The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

17Whenever the four moved, no matter which of four directions, they moved without turning around.

17When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.

18Their wheel rims were ornate and terrifying. They were full of eyes that surrounded the four of them.

18As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

19Whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved, too. Whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also.

19And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

20Whatever direction these spirits went, the wheels would be lifted up along with them, because the wheels were alive.

20Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

21They moved around whenever they wanted to move around, and they stood still whenever they wanted to stand still; and whenever they rose from the earth, the wheels remained close beside them, because the wheels were also alive.

21When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

22There was spread out over the heads of the living beings what looked like a canopy, in outward appearance resembling ice,

22And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

23and underneath the canopy, their wings spread out straight over their heads toward each other. They each also had two wings with which they covered themselves, one wing covering its body on one side and one wing covering itself on the other side.

23And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.

24I also heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of roaring water, like the voice of the Almighty, or like a boisterous crowd within an army camp. Whenever they stopped flying, they lowered their wings.

24And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

25A sound came from above the canopy that was spread out over their heads. Whenever they stood still, they lowered their wings.

25And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.

26From above the canopy that was spread out over their heads, there appeared to be something reminiscent of a throne, resembling sapphire in form. There was the likeness of the appearance of a human being seated on the likeness of the throne high above.

26And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

27I noticed that from what appeared to look like his waist upward there was something that looked like metal that glowed as if it were immersed in fire. Below this there was something resembling fire, with a radiant light surrounding him.

27And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

28The appearance of the radiant light resembled that of a rainbow shining in a cloud on a rainy day. This was what the appearance of the form of the glory of the LORD resembled. When I saw all of this, I fell flat on my face. Then I heard a voice speaking.

28As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.