Now in the  ¹thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth of the month, while I was among the captives by the  ²river Chebar, the  ³heavens were opened and I saw  ⁴visions of God.

On the fifth of the month (it was the  ¹fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity)

The  ¹word of Jehovah came expressly to  ²Ezekiel the  ³priest, the son of  ²Buzi, in the land of the  ⁴Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the  ⁵hand of Jehovah was upon him there.

And I looked, and there came a storm  ¹wind from the  ²north, a great  ³cloud and a  ⁴fire flashing incessantly; and there was a brightness around it, and from the midst of it there was something like the sight of  ⁵electrum, from the midst of the fire.

And from the midst of it there came the likeness of  ¹four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had the likeness of a  ²man.

And every one had four  ¹faces, and every one of them had four  ²wings.

And their feet were straight feet, and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's  ¹foot; and they sparkled like the sight of burnished bronze.

And the  ¹hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides. And the four of them had their faces and their wings thus:

Their wings were  ¹joined one to another; they did not turn as they went; each went  ²straight forward.

As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a  ¹man; and the four of them had the face of a lion on the right side, and the four of them had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four of them had the face of an eagle.

 ¹And thus their faces were. And their wings were spread out upward; two wings of each were  ²joined one to another, and two  ³covered their bodies.

And each went  ¹straight forward; wherever the  ²Spirit was to go, they went; they did not turn as they went.

As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning  ¹coals of fire, like the appearance of  ¹torches;  ²the fire went to and fro among the living creatures, and the fire was  ³bright; and out of the fire went forth  ⁴lightning.

And the living creatures  ¹ran to and fro like the appearance of a lightning bolt.

And as I watched the living creatures, I saw a  ¹wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, for each of their four  ²faces.

The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship were like the sight of  ¹beryl. And the four of them had  ²one likeness; that is, their appearance and their workmanship were as it were  ³a wheel within a wheel.

Whenever they went, they went in their  ¹four directions; they did not turn as they went.

As for their rims, they were  ¹high and they were  ¹awesome; and the rims of the four of them were full of  ²eyes all around.

And whenever the living creatures  ¹went, the wheels went beside them; and whenever the living creatures were lifted up above the earth, the wheels were lifted up also.

Wherever the  ¹Spirit was to go,  ²they went — wherever the Spirit was to go. And the wheels were lifted up alongside  ²them, for the  ¹Spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Whenever those went, these went; and whenever those stood still, these stood still; and whenever those were lifted up above the earth, the wheels were lifted up alongside them; for the Spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

And over the heads of the living creature there was the likeness of an  ¹expanse, like the sight of awesome crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

And under the expanse one pair of their wings went  ¹straight out, one toward the other; each had another pair  ²covering their bodies on this side and on that side.

And I heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of great waters, like the  ¹voice of the Almighty, as they went; it was the sound of a tumult, like the sound of an army. Whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings.

And there was a  ¹voice from above the expanse that was over their heads. When they stood still, they dropped their wings.

And above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a  ¹throne, like the appearance of a  ²sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was One in appearance like a  ³man, above it.

Then I saw something like the sight of  ¹electrum, like the appearance of fire encased all around, from the appearance of His loins and upward; and from the appearance of His loins and downward, I saw something like the appearance of  ¹fire. And there was brightness all around Him.

Like the appearance of the  ¹rainbow that is in the cloud on a day of rain, such was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and I heard the voice of someone speaking.

Then He said to me, Son of man, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you.

And the Spirit entered into me when He spoke to me and caused me to stand up on my feet. And I heard Him who spoke to me.

And He said to me, Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to  ¹rebellious heathen who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me unto this very day;

And they are impudent and hard-hearted children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord Jehovah.

And they, whether they hear or not — for they are a rebellious house — they will know that a prophet has been in their midst.

And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them and do not be afraid of their words; though  ¹thistles and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions, do not be afraid of their words and do not be dismayed at their faces; for they are a rebellious house.

And you shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or not; for they are  ¹rebellious.

But you, son of man, hear what I say to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I give you.

And I looked, and there was a hand, put forth toward me; and in it there was a scroll book.

And He spread it before me. And it was written on the front and back, and on it were written lamentations, mourning, and woe.

Then He said to me, Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.

So I opened my mouth, and He gave me that scroll to eat.

And He said to me, Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your inward parts with this scroll that I am giving you. And I ate it, and it was like honey in my mouth in its sweetness.

Then He said to me, Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them.

For you are being sent not to a people of strange speech and unintelligible language but to the house of Israel,

Not to many peoples of strange speech and unintelligible language, whose words you cannot understand. If I were to send you to such, they would hear you;

But the house of Israel is not willing to hear you, for they are not willing to hear Me, because all the house of Israel is obstinate and stiff-hearted.

I am now making your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.

Like adamant, harder than flint, I am making your forehead; do not be afraid of them or dismayed at their faces, for they are a rebellious house.

Moreover He said to me, Son of man, all My words that I will speak to you take into your heart and hear with your ears.

And go to those of the captivity, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, Thus says the Lord Jehovah; whether they hear or not.

Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the sound of a great quaking, saying: Blessed be the glory of Jehovah from His place!

And I heard the sound of the wings of the living creatures touching one another and the sound of the wheels alongside them and the sound of a great quaking.

And the Spirit lifted me up and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the rage of my spirit, and the hand of Jehovah was strong upon me.

And I came to those of the captivity at Tel-abib who dwelt by the river Chebar; and where they dwelt, there I sat for seven days in their midst appalled.

And at the end of seven days the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

Son of man, I have appointed you as a  ¹watchman to the house of Israel, and you will hear the word from My mouth and will give them warnings from Me.

When I say to a wicked one, You shall surely die, and you do not warn him nor speak to warn the wicked one from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked one will die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.

Yet if you warn the wicked one and he does not turn from his wickedness nor from his wicked way, he will die for his iniquity and you have  ¹delivered your soul.

And when a righteous one turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Because you did not warn him, he will die in his sin, and his righteous actions, which he had done, will not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.

And if you warn a righteous one so that the righteous one does not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he was warned; and you have delivered your soul.

And the hand of Jehovah was upon me there; and He said to me, Arise, go forth to the plain, and there I will speak with you.

So I arose and went forth to the plain. And the glory of Jehovah stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.

Then the Spirit entered into me and caused me to stand up on my feet; and He spoke with me and said to me, Go, shut yourself up within your house.

As for you, son of man, they will now put ropes on you and bind you with them so that you cannot go out among them.

And I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be dumb and not one who reproves them, for they are a rebellious house.

But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you will say to them, Thus says the Lord Jehovah, Let him who hears hear, and let him who refuses refuse; for they are a rebellious house.