1. Now 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.
2. On the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
3. The 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.
4. And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire engulfing itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of its midst as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
5. Also out of its midst came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
6. And each one had four faces, and each one had four wings.
7. And 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 color of burnished bronze.
8. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and the four had their faces and their wings.
9. Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went each one straight forward.
10. As for the likeness of their faces, the four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and the four had the face of an ox on the left side; the four also had the face of an eagle.
11. Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of each one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
12. And they went each one straight forward: wherever the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
13. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: they went back and forth among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
14. And the living creatures ran back and forth like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15. Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, a wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, with its four faces.