Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar (Psalm 137:1–9)
1 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.
2 AKJV In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity, BSB BSB: On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—
3 AKJV The word of the LORD came expressly to 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 on him. BSB BSB: the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him.
The Four Living Creatures 4 AKJV And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire enfolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the middle thereof as the color of amber, out of the middle of the fire. BSB BSB: I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire was a gleam like amber,
5 AKJV Also out of the middle thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. BSB BSB: and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form,
6 AKJV And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. BSB BSB: but each had four faces and four wings.
7 AKJV 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 color of burnished brass. BSB BSB: Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze.
8 AKJV And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. BSB BSB: Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four living creatures had faces and wings,
9 AKJV Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. BSB BSB: and their wings were touching one another. They did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead.
10 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and also the face of an eagle.
11 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: Such were their faces. Their wings were spread upward; each had two wings touching the wings of the creature on either side, and two wings covering its body.
12 AKJV And they went every one straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went. BSB BSB: Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved.
13 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: In the midst of the living creatures was the appearance of glowing coals of fire, or of torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it.
14 AKJV And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. BSB BSB: The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning.
The Four Wheels 15 AKJV Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel on the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. BSB BSB: When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.
16 AKJV The appearance of the wheels and their work was like to the color 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. BSB BSB: The workmanship of the wheels looked like the gleam of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. Their workmanship looked like a wheel within a wheel.
17 AKJV When they went, they went on their four sides: and they turned not when they went. BSB BSB: As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved.
18 AKJV As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four. BSB BSB: Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.
19 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: So as the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose.
20 AKJV Wherever 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. BSB BSB: Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
21 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
The Divine Glory 22 AKJV And the likeness of the firmament on the heads of the living creature was as the color of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. BSB BSB: Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal.
23 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: And under the expanse, their wings stretched out toward one another. Each one also had two wings covering its body.
24 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
25 AKJV And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings. BSB BSB: And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood still with their wings lowered.
26 AKJV And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and on the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above on it. BSB BSB: Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man.
27 AKJV And I saw as the color 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. BSB BSB: From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around. And from what seemed to be His waist down, I saw what looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him.
28 AKJV 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 on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke. BSB BSB: The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.
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