Ezekiel in Babylon
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1In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by 2the Chebar canal, 3the heavens were opened, and I saw 4visions of God.a
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the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel 7the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by 8the Chebar canal, and 9the hand of the LORD was upon him there.
The Glory of the Lord
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As I looked, behold, 10a stormy wind came 11out of the north, and a great cloud, with 12brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, 13as it were gleaming metal.b
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And from the midst of it came the likeness of 14four living creatures. 15And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness,
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16but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.
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Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot. And they sparkled 17like burnished bronze.
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Under their wings 18on their four sides 19they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus:
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their wings touched one another. 20Each one of them went straight forward, 21without turning as they went.
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As for the likeness of their faces, 22each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle.
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Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while 23two covered their bodies.
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24And each went straight forward. 25Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went.
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As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was 26like burning coals of fire, 27like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. 28And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
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31Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.c
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32As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like 33the gleaming of beryl. 34And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel.
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And their rims were tall and awesome, 38and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around.
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39And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; 40and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.
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41Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, 42for the spirit of the living creaturese was in the wheels.
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43When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; 44and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, 45for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
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Over the heads of the living creatures there was 46the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring 47crystal, spread out above their heads.
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And under the expanse their wings were 48stretched out straight, one toward another. 49And each creature had two wings covering its body.
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And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings 50like the sound of many waters, like 51the sound of the 52Almighty, a sound of tumult 53like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings.
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And there came a voice from above 54the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings.
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And above the expanse over their heads there was 55the likeness of a throne, 56in appearance 57like sapphire;f and seated above the likeness of a throne was 58a likeness with a human appearance.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)