The Prophet Ezekiel

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- Chapter 1 -

(Psalm 137:1–9)

And it happened that, in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth of the month, when I was in the midst of the captives beside the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw the visions of God.(a)

On the fifth of the month, the same is the fifth year of the transmigration of king Joachin,

the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel, a priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans, next to the river Chebar. And the hand of the Lord was over him there.

The Four Living Creatures

And I saw, and behold, a whirlwind arrived from the north. And a great cloud, wrapped in fire and brightness, was all around it. And from its midst, that is, from the midst of the fire, there was something with the appearance of amber.

And in its midst, there was the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: the likeness of a man was in them.(b)

Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings.

Their feet were straight feet, and the sole of their foot was like the sole of the foot of a calf, and they sparkled with the appearance of glowing brass.

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

And their wings were joined to one another. They did not turn as they went. Instead, each one advanced before his face.

But as for the likeness of their face, there was the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right of each of the four, then the face of an ox on the left of each of the four, and the face of an eagle above each of the four.

Their faces and their wings were extended above: two wings of each one were joined together, and two covered their bodies.

And each one of them advanced before his face. Wherever the impetus of the spirit was to go, there they went. And they did not turn as they advanced.

And as for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like that of burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps. This was the vision dashing in the midst of the living creatures, a bright fire, with lightning going forth from the fire.

And the living creatures went and returned like flashes of lightning.

The Four Wheels

And as I beheld the living creatures, there appeared above the earth, next to the living creatures, one wheel having four faces.

And the appearance of the wheels and their work was like the appearance of the sea. And each of the four were similar to one another. And their appearance and work was like a wheel in the center of a wheel.

Going forth, they went by means of their four parts. And they did not turn as they went.(c)

(d)

Also, the size and height and appearance of the wheels was dreadful. And the entire body was full of eyes all around each of the four.

And when the living creatures advanced, the wheels advanced together with them. And when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels, too, were lifted up at the same time.

Wherever the spirit went, as the spirit was going forth to that place, the wheels, too, were lifted up together, so as to follow them. For the spirit of life was in the wheels.

When going forth, they went forth, and when standing still, they stood still. And when they were lifted up from the earth, the wheels, too, were lifted up together, so as to follow them. For the spirit of life was in the wheels.

The Divine Glory

And above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of a firmament: similar to crystal, but dreadful to behold, and extending over their heads from above.

And their wings were straight under the firmament, one toward the other. One of them was covered by two wings on his body, and the other was covered similarly.

And I heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the sublime God. When they walked, it was like the sound of a multitude, like the sound of an army. And when they stood still, their wings were let down.

For when a voice came from above the firmament, which was over their heads, they stood still, and they put down their wings.

And above the firmament, which was suspended over their heads, there was the likeness of a throne, with the appearance of the sapphire stone. And over the likeness of the throne, there was a likeness with the appearance of a man above it.

And I saw something with the appearance of amber, with the likeness of fire within it and all around it. And from his waist and upward, and from his waist downward, I saw something with the appearance of fire shining all around.

There was the appearance of the rainbow, as when it is in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the splendor on every side.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 The thirtieth year:Either of the age of Ezekiel; or, as others will have it, from the solemn covenant made in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josias. 4 Kings 23.(Challoner)

(b)1:5 Living creatures:Cherubims (as appears from Ecclesiasticus. 49:10) represented to the prophet under these mysterious shapes, as supporting the throne of God, and as it were drawing his chariot. All this chapter appeared so obscure, and so full of mysteries to the ancient Hebrews, that, as we learn from St. Jerome, (Ep. ad Paulin.,) they suffered none to read it before they were thirty years old.(Challoner)

(c)1:17 The wheels were turning, but the whole did not turn to the right or to the left, since it had a face in each of four directions.(Conte)

(d)1:17 When they went, they went by their four parts:That is, indifferently to any of their sides either forward or backward: to the right or to the left.(Challoner)

(Psalm 137:1–9)

Now 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, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.(a)

In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity,

the LORD’s(b) word came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the LORD’s hand was there on him.

The Four Living Creatures

I looked, and behold,(c) a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of the middle of it as it were glowing metal, out of the middle of the fire.

Out of its center came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man.

Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings.

Their feet were straight feet. The sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze.

They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had their faces and their wings like this:

Their wings were joined to one another. They didn’t turn when they went. Each one went straight forward.

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

Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies.

Each one went straight forward. Where the spirit was to go, they went. They didn’t turn when they went.

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. The fire was bright, and lightning went out of the fire.

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

The Four Wheels

Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.

The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl. The four of them had one likeness. Their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.

When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn when they went.

As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around.

When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. When the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

Wherever the spirit was to go, they went. The spirit was to go there. The wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

When those went, these went. When those stood, these stood. 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.

The Divine Glory

Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like an awesome crystal to look at, stretched out over their heads above.

Under the expanse, their wings were straight, one toward the other. Each one had two which covered on this side, and each one had two which covered their bodies on that side.

When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army. When they stood, they let down their wings.

There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads. When they stood, they let down their wings.

Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire

(d)

stone. On the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above.

I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.

As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the LORD’s glory. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

(b)1:3 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

(c)1:4 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

(d)1:26 or, lapis lazuli