The time of Ezechiel’s prophecy: he sees a glorious vision.
1:1. Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on
the fifth day of the month, when I was in the midst of the captives by
the river Chobar, the heavens were opened, and I saw the visions of
God.
The thirtieth year.... Either of the age of Ezechiel; or, as others
will have it, from the solemn covenant made in the eighteenth year of
the reign of Josias. 4 Kings 23.
1:2. On the fifth day of the month, the same was the fifth year of the
captivity of king Joachin,
1:3. The word of the Lord came to Ezechiel the priest the son of Buzi
in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chobar: and the hand of the
Lord was there upon him.
1:4. And I saw, and behold a whirlwind came out of the north: and a
great cloud, and a fire infolding it, and brightness was about it: and
out of the midst thereof, that is, out of the midst of the fire, as it
were the resemblance of amber:
1:5. And in the midst thereof the likeness of four living creatures:
and this was their appearance: there was the likeness of a man in them.
Living creatures.... Cherubims (as appears from Ecclesiasticus 49.10)
represented to the prophet under these mysterious shapes, as supporting
the throne of God, and as it were drawing his chariot. All this chapter
appeared so obscure, and so full of mysteries to the ancient Hebrews,
that, as we learn from St. Jerome, (Ep. ad Paulin.,) they suffered none
to read it before they were thirty years old.
1:6. Every one had four faces, and every one four wings.
1:7. Their feet were straight feet, and the sole of their foot was like
the sole of a calf’s foot, and they sparkled like the appearance of
glowing brass.
1:8. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four
sides: and they had faces, and wings on the four sides,
1:9. And the wings of one were joined to the wings of another. They
turned not when they went: but every one went straight forward.
1:10. And as for the likeness of their faces: there was the face of a
man, and the face of a lion on the right side of all the four: and the
face of an ox, on the left side of all the four: and the face of an
eagle over all the four.
1:11. And their faces, and their wings were stretched upward: two wings
of every one were joined, and two covered their bodies:
1:12. And every one of them went straight forward: whither the impulse
of the spirit was to go, thither they went: and they turned not when
they went.
1:13. And as for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance
was like that of burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of
lamps. This was the vision running to and fro in the midst of the
living creatures, a bright fire, and lightning going forth from the
fire.
1:14. And the living creatures ran and returned like flashes of
lightning.
1:15. Now as I beheld the living creatures, there appeared upon the
earth by the living creatures one wheel with four faces.
1:16. And the appearance of the wheels, and the work of them was like
the appearance of the sea: and the four had all one likeness: and their
appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the midst of a
wheel.
1:17. When they went, they went by their four parts: and they turned
not when they went.
When they went, they went by their four parts.... That is,
indifferently to any of their sides either forward or backward: to the
right or to the left.
1:18. The wheels had also a size, and a height, and a dreadful
appearance: and the whole body was full of eyes round about all the
four.
1:19. And, when the living creatures went, the wheels also went
together by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the
earth, the wheels also were lifted up with them.
1:20. Whithersoever the spirit went, thither as the spirit went the
wheels also were lifted up withal, and followed it: for the spirit of
life was in the wheels.
1:21. 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
together, and followed them: for the spirit of life was in the wheels.
1:22. And over the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of
the firmament, the appearance of crystal terrible to behold, and
stretched out over their heads above.
1:23. And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward
the other, every one with two wings covered his body, and the other was
covered in like manner.
1:24. And I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many
waters, as it were the voice of the most high God: when they walked, it
was like the voice of a multitude, like the noise of an army, and when
they stood, their wings were let down.
1:25. For when a voice came from above the firmament, that was over
their heads, they stood, and let down their wings.
1:26. And above the firmament that was over their heads, was the
likeness of a throne, as the appearance of the sapphire stone, and upon
the likeness of the throne, was the likeness of the appearance of a man
above upon it.
1:27. And I saw as it were the resemblance of amber as the appearance
of fire within it round about: from his loins and upward, and from his
loins downward, I saw as it were the resemblance of fire shining round
about.
1:28. As the appearance of the rainbow when it is in a cloud on a rainy
day: this was the appearance of the brightness round about.