The Time and Place of the Vision
Study note
Ezekiel was among the Jews taken captive to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar in 597 BC. He lived by the Chebar River, which was actually a large canal in Babylonia. The 'thirtieth year' likely refers to Ezekiel's age, which was when priests normally began their service. Instead of beginning temple duties in Jerusalem, Ezekiel received his calling as a prophet in a foreign land. The fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity would be about 593 BC.
1 It was the thirtieth year, the fourth month, and the fifth day. I was living as a captive alongside others by the Chebar River when the sky split open and God gave me incredible visions. 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 This happened on the fifth day of the month. It was the fifth year since King Jehoiachin had been taken to Babylon as a prisoner. In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
3 God spoke directly to me, Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi. I was in Babylon beside the Chebar River when I felt the Lord's powerful hand take hold of me. 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.
The Four Living Creatures
Study note
Ezekiel sees four mysterious living creatures emerge from a storm cloud. Each creature has four faces (human, lion, ox, and eagle) and four wings. These beings are later identified as cherubim, powerful angelic beings who serve in God's presence. The four faces may represent different aspects of God's creation: humanity, wild animals, domesticated animals, and birds. The creatures moved together in perfect harmony, guided by God's Spirit.
4 As I looked up, a massive windstorm rolled in from the north. A great cloud was wrapped in blazing fire with brilliant light radiating from it. Right at the center of the flames, something glowed like red-hot metal. And 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.
5 Within that fire I could make out four living beings. Their overall shape reminded me of humans. Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
6 Each one, however, had four different faces and four wings. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
7 They stood on straight legs, and their feet were shaped like a calf's hooves, gleaming like polished bronze. 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 colour of burnished brass.
8 Human-like hands appeared beneath the wings on all four sides of each creature. Every one of the four had both faces and wings. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
9 The tips of their wings connected with each other. They never had to turn around -- they simply moved forward in whatever direction they were facing. Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
10 As for their faces, each creature had four of them. Looking from the front, the face was human. On the right side was a lion's face. On the left was the face of an ox. And at the back was an eagle's face. As 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.
11 Those were their faces. Two of each creature's wings stretched upward and touched the wings of the creatures on either side, while the other two wings folded down to cover the body. Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
12 Every creature traveled in a perfectly straight line, heading wherever the Spirit directed. They never turned sideways as they went. And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
13 These living beings looked like blazing coals or flaming torches. Fire danced back and forth between them, shining brightly, and bolts of lightning shot out from it. As 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.
14 The creatures themselves zipped back and forth with the speed of lightning. And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
The Wheels Within Wheels
Study note
Beside each living creature was a wheel that seemed to have another wheel inside it, allowing movement in any direction without turning. The wheels were covered with eyes, suggesting God sees everything. The wheels moved in perfect sync with the living creatures because the same spirit controlled both. This entire vision is of God's heavenly throne-chariot, showing that God is not limited to the temple in Jerusalem but can move anywhere.
15 While I stared at these living beings, I noticed that each one had a wheel sitting on the ground right next to it. Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
16 The wheels shone like jewels. All four looked identical, and each one appeared to be built with a second wheel inside it, crossing at a right angle. The 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.
17 Because of this design, the wheels could roll in any direction. They never needed to turn around. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
18 The wheel rims towered high and filled me with awe. Every rim on every wheel was completely covered with eyes. As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.
19 Wherever the living beings went, the wheels traveled right alongside them. Whenever the creatures lifted off the ground, the wheels lifted off too. And 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.
20 The creatures went wherever the Spirit led them. The wheels always moved with them because the spirit of the creatures was in the wheels. Whithersoever 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.
21 Whenever the creatures moved, so did the wheels. Whenever the creatures stood still, the wheels stopped too. And whenever the creatures rose into the air, the wheels rose with them, because the spirit of these living beings controlled the wheels. 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 over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
The Throne Above the Creatures
Study note
Above the four creatures was a crystal-like surface, and above that was a throne made of sapphire. On the throne sat a figure that looked like a man, glowing with fire and surrounded by brilliant light like a rainbow. This was the glory of the Lord. Ezekiel fell face-down in awe. This vision assured the exiles that God's glory was not trapped in the Jerusalem temple but was present with them even in Babylon.
22 Stretched out above their heads was something that looked like a vast dome of sparkling crystal. And 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.
23 Beneath this dome, the creatures held their wings out toward one another. Each also had two wings that covered its body. And 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.
24 When they flew, the sound of their wings was overwhelming -- like a raging waterfall, like the thundering voice of the Almighty, like the rumble of a massive army. Whenever they stopped, they let their wings hang down. And 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.
25 A voice spoke from above the crystal dome over their heads while they stood still with their wings lowered. And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
26 Above the dome I could see something that looked like a throne made of sapphire. Sitting on it high above was a figure that looked like a person. And 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.
27 From what appeared to be his waist up, I saw a glow like heated metal surrounded by fire. From the waist down, there was fire with dazzling light all around. And 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.
28 The radiance surrounding this figure reminded me of a rainbow arching through the clouds after a storm. I was looking at the visible glory of the Lord himself. The moment I understood what I was seeing, I dropped face-first to the ground. That is when I heard a voice begin to speak. As 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.