1. In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, I was with the exiles at the Chebar River when the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.
2. (It happened on the fifth day of the month, in the fifth year after King Jehoiachin’s deportation.
3. The Lord’s word burst in on the priest Ezekiel, Buzi’s son, in the land of Babylon at the Chebar River. There the Lord’s power overcame him.)
4. As I watched, suddenly a driving storm came out of the north, a great cloud flashing fire, with brightness all around. At its center, in the middle of the fire, there was something like gleaming amber.
5. And inside that were forms of four living creatures. This was what they looked like: Each had the form of a human being,
6. though each had four faces and four wings.
7. Their feet looked like proper feet, but the soles of their feet were like calves’ hooves, and they shone like burnished bronze.
8. Human hands were under their wings on all four sides. All four creatures had faces and wings, and
9. their wings touched each other’s wings. When they moved, they each went straight ahead without turning.
10. As for the form of their faces: each of the four had a human face, with a lion’s face on the right and a bull’s face on the left, and also an eagle’s face.
11. The pairs of wings that stretched out overhead touched each other, while the other pairs covered their bodies.
12. Each moved straight ahead wherever the wind propelled them; they moved without turning.