Ezekiel 1:1-14

1In the thirtieth year on the fifth day of the fourth month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens opened, and I saw visions of God.

2In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity,

3the word of Adonai came to Ezekiel the kohen, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar. (The hand of Adonai was upon him there.)

4I looked, and behold, a storm wind came from the north, a great cloud with flashing fire and brightness all around it, and something like a glowing alloy out of the fire.

5From within it came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had a likeness of a human,

6but each one had four faces and each one of them had four wings.

7Their legs were straight and the soles of their feet were like the hoof of a calf. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze.

8They had human hands under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had faces and wings:

9their wings touched one another; they did not turn when they moved; each could move in the direction of any of its faces.

10As for the form of their faces, each 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.

11Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings touching the wing of another, while another two were covering their bodies.

12Now each being could move in the direction of any of its faces; wherever the Ruach would go, they went, without turning as they went.

13As for the form of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, resembling torches moving between the living creatures. There was brightness to the fire, and lightning went forth from the fire.

14The living creatures were running back and forth like flashes of lightning.