1 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 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

3 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.

4 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.

5 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.

6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

7 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.

8 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 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

10 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 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 And they went every one straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

13 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 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel on the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

16 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.

17 When they went, they went on their four sides: and they turned not when they went.

18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

19 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 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.

21 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.

22 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.

23 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 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 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.

26 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.

27 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.

28 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.

Ezekiel. In Hebrew. Y heze el yehazzek- el = El is strong, or El strengthens (compare Israel, Gen 32:28).

Of the four greater prophets, Ezekiel and Daniel (who prophesied in Babylonia) are compounded with "El" (App-4. IV); while Isaiah and Jeremiah (who prophesied in the land) are compounded with "Jah".

Ezekiel was a priest ( Eze 1:3), carried away eleven years before the destruction of the city and temple ( Eze 1:2; Eze 33:21. 2Ki 24:14). He dwelt in his own house (8. I. Compare Jer 29:5). He was married; and his wife died in the year when the siege of Jerusalem began.

Now = And. This is a link in the prophetic chain. Compare 1Pe 1:10-12. 2Pe 1:21. Ezekiel had doubtless received and seen the letter sent by Jeremiah ( Jer 29:1-32).

thirtieth . . . fourth, See notes on p. 1105.

fifth day. Dates in Ezekiel are always of the month, not of the week ( Eze 1:1; Eze 8:1; Eze 20:1; Eze 24:1; Eze 26:1; Eze 29:1; Eze 30:20; Eze 31:1; Eze 32:1; Eze 40:1).

captives. Hebrew captivity. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6, forcaptives", as translated. Compare Eze 3:15,

Chebar. Now Khabour, Probably the same as Chebor or Habor ( 2Ki 17:6; 2Ki 18:11. 1Ch 5:26), falling into the Euphrates about forty-five miles north of Babylon. On the Inscription it is called nar Kabari = great river, or "Grand Canal", cut between the Tigris and the Euphrates. In Ch. Eze 3:15, it is not the same "Chebar" as in Eze 1:1, but the Chebar to which Ezekiel was sent ("go, get thee", Eze 3:4). The "Chebar" of Eze 1:1 was where he dwelt; that of Eze 3:15 is where he was sent,

of = from. Genitive of Origin or Efficient Cause. App-17.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.

fifth year. B.C. 484. Compare 2Ki 24:12, 2Ki 24:15,

Jehoiachin. Called also Jeconiah, and Coniah. Compare 2Ki 24:17-20; 2Ki 25:1-21.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

expressly = in very deed, or in reality.

Ezekiel. See the Title.

the priest: and called, as Jeremiah was, to the office of prophet as well,

the hand. Fig, Anthropopatheia. App-6.

was = became. Compare Elijah ( 1Ki 18:46); Elisha ( 2Ki 3:15); Daniel ( Dan 10:10, Dan 10:18); and John ( Rev 1:17).

behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.

whirlwind. Hebrew. ruach = spirit, but it came to be rendered "storm or whirlwind". Note the three symbols of Jehovah’s glory, Storm, Cloud, and Fire. Compare Nah 1:3. Rev 4:5.

out of the north. See note on Psa 75:6, and Isa 14:13.

infolding itself = taking hold of itself. Revised Version margin, "flashing continually". Human and finite language is unable to find words to express infinite realities. It may mean spontaneous ignition: i.e. without the application of external fire. Compare Exo 9:24.

colour. Hebrew. "eye". Put by Figure of speech Metonynmy (of Adj evict), App-6, for colour.

amber: or, glowing metal.

out of : or, in.

four living creatures. These are "the Cherubim". See App-41. The zoa of Rev 4:6.

straight: i.e. unjointed. The living creatures did not move by walking.

hands. Hebrew text reads "hand". Some codices, with two early printed editions and Hebrew text margin, read "hands "(plural), followed by Authorized Version and Revised Version. The sing. is to be preferred, and is so rendered in Eze 10:7. Why not here?

faces. See App-41.

man. Hebrew ’adam, App-14.

stretched upward = divided or spread out from above.

spirit. Hebrew. ruach. App-9.

lamps = the lamp; or, torch (singular)

went forth = kept going forth.

ran and returned: or kept running and returning. Hebrew is Inf. by Heterosis (of Mood), App-6.

behold. Figure of speech Asterismes. App-6.

The. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "And the".

turned. The 1611 edition of the Authorized Version reads "returned".

high. In the sense of sublimity.

the living creatures = the living ones. Compare verses: Eze 1:21, Eze 1:22, Eze 1:3; Eze 10:15, Eze 10:20. The four were one.

firmament = expanse, as in Gen 1:6.

stretched forth = spread out.

above = upward.

straight = level.

noise. Hebrew "voice", as in the next clause = any noise. Articulate speech not mentioned till Eze 1:28 with Eze 2:1.

voice = noise, as above. THE ALMIGHTY. Hebrew. Shaddai. App-4.

voice of speech = noise of tumult.

man. Hebrew. App-14. Compare Dan 7:13.

the bow. in the cloud. Reference to Pentateuch ( Gen 9:16). App-92. The only allusion to it in O.T. after Genesis. In N.T. compare Rev 4:3; Rev 10:1.

the glory, &c. Compare Eze 3:12, Eze 3:23; Eze 8:4; Eze 9:3; Eze 10:4, Eze 10:18, Eze 10:19; Eze 10:22, Eze 10:23; Eze 43:2, Eze 43:4, Eze 43:5; Eze 44:4.

I fell upon my face. Reference to Pentateuch ( Num 14:5; Num 16:4, Num 16:25, Num 16:45). App-92.