Historical

1 In the thirtieth year on the fifth day of the fourth month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens 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 Adonai came to Ezekiel the kohen, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar. (The hand of Adonai was upon him there.)

Vision of Supernatural Beings

⁴ I looked, and behold, a storm wind came from the north, a great cloud with flashing fire and brightness all around it, and something like a glowing alloy^[a] out of the fire. ⁵ From within it came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had a likeness of a human, ⁶ but each one had four faces and each one of them had four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight and the soles of their feet were like the hoof of a calf. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. ⁸ They had human hands under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had faces and wings: ⁹ their wings touched one another; they did not turn when they moved; each could move in the direction of any of its faces. ¹⁰ As for the form of their faces, each had a human face, the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side and the four had the face of an eagle. ¹¹ Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings touching the wing of another, while another two were covering their bodies. ¹² Now each being could move in the direction of any of its faces; wherever the Ruach would go, they went, without turning as they went.

¹³ As for the form of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, resembling torches moving between the living creatures. There was brightness to the fire, and lightning went forth from the fire. ¹⁴ The living creatures were running back and forth like flashes of lightning. ¹⁵ As I looked at the living creatures, behold, one wheel was on the ground next to each of the four-faced creatures. ¹⁶ The appearance and structure of the wheels was like the gleaming of beryl. The four had the same likeness, their appearance and their structure seemed to be a wheel within a wheel.

¹⁷ When they went, they went in any of their four directions without pivoting as they went. ¹⁸ Their rims were high and awesome—all four rims were full of eyes all around. ¹⁹ When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. When the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. ²⁰ Wherever the Ruach wanted to go, they went, in the direction the Ruach wanted to go. The wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²¹ Whenever the creatures went, the wheels went. When the creatures stood still, these wheels stood still. When the creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

²² Now over the heads of the living creatures there was something like an expanse, shining like the color of ice, stretched forth over their heads. ²³ Under the expanse, their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other. Each had another pair covering its body.

²⁴ When they moved, I could hear the sound of their wings like the sound of rushing waters, like the voice of Shaddai, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army. Whenever they stood still, they let down their wings. ²⁵ There came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. Whenever they stood still, they let down their wings.

²⁶ Above the expanse over their heads was something like a throne, resembling a sapphire stone. Above the shape of the throne was a figure of human appearance. ²⁷ From what appeared as his waist upward, I saw a glowing metal, looking like a fire encased in a frame. From what was like his waist down, I saw the appearance of fire radiating around him. ²⁸ Like the appearance of the rainbow^[b] in the cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the radiance. It was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Adonai. I saw it, fell upon my face, and heard the voice of the One who was speaking.

A Rebellious House

2 Then He said to me: “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” ² As He spoke to me, the Ruach came upon me and stood me up on my feet. I heard Him speaking to me again.

³ He said to me, “Son of man, I send you to Bnei-Yisrael, to rebellious nations that have been rebelling against Me. They and their fathers have rebelled against Me to this very day. ⁴ The children have hard faces and stubborn hearts. I am sending you to them, and you are to tell them, ‘Thus says Adonai Elohim.’ ⁵ Whether they listen, or whether they will refuse to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet was among them.

⁶ “But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them. Do not fear their words, though thistles and thorns are beside you and you sit among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words or be dismayed by their looks—for they are a rebellious house. ⁷ You will speak My words to them, whether they will listen or whether they will refuse to listen—for they are rebellious. ⁸ Now 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 am giving to you.”

⁹ I looked, and behold, a hand was stretched out to me, holding a written scroll. ¹⁰ He spread it out before me. It was written on, front and back. Written on it were lamentations, dirges and woe.

Eat the Scroll

3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find—eat this scroll. Then go, speak to the house of Israel.” ² So I opened my mouth, and He gave me that scroll to eat, ³ as He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” I ate it and it tasted as sweet as honey.

⁴ Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak My words to them. ⁵ For you are not sent to a people of unintelligible speech and difficult tongue, but to the house of Israel, ⁶ nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult tongue, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you. ⁷ But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel has a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. ⁸ Look, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. ⁹ I will make your forehead like adamant, harder than flint. Do not fear them. Do not be dismayed by their faces, for they are a rebellious house.”

¹⁰ Furthermore, He said to me: “Son of man, receive in your heart and hear with your ears all My words that I will speak to you. ¹¹ Go to the exiles, to the children of your people. Speak to them. Tell them, ‘Thus says Adonai Elohim.’ Whether they will listen or whether they will refuse to listen.”

¹² Then the Ruach lifted me up. I heard behind me the sound of a great earthquake—“Blessed is the glory of Adonai from His place!”— ¹³ also the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, the sound of the wheels beside them and the sound of a great earthquake. ¹⁴ The Ruach lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit. The hand of Adonai was strong upon me. ¹⁵ I came to the exiles at Tel-Abib who lived by the river Chebar. I sat where they were dwelling. I sat there overwhelmed among them for seven days.

Watchman Must Warn

¹⁶ Now at the end of seven days, the word of Adonai came to me saying: ¹⁷ “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me. ¹⁸ When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak to warn the wicked of his wicked way, to save his life, that wicked person will die in his iniquity, but I will require his blood from your hand. ¹⁹ Yet you, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul. ²⁰ When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and acts perversely, I will lay a stumbling block before him and he will die. Because you have not warned him, he will die in his sin. His righteous deeds that he has done will not be remembered—but I will require his blood at your hand. ²¹ If you warn the righteous person not to sin and the righteous person does not sin, he will surely live, because he took warning. You will have delivered your soul.”

²² The hand of Adonai came upon me there. He said to me: “Arise, go out to the valley. I will speak with you there.” ²³ So I arose, and went out to the valley. Behold, the glory of Adonai stood there—like the glory that I saw by the River Chebar—and I fell on my face. ²⁴ The Ruach came into me, and stood me upon my feet. Then He spoke with me and said to me: “Go, shut yourself in your house. ²⁵ You, son of man, behold, ropes will be put on you. You will be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people. ²⁶ I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth. You will be mute and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house. ²⁷ But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth. You will say to them: ‘Thus says Adonai Elohim.’ he that hears, let him hear. He that refuses to hear, let him refuse—for they are a rebellious house.”