American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Ezekiel 1
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.
Reference
📍 Chebar
Parallel theme
Revelation 19:11
Acts 10:11
Luke 3:21
Ezekiel 10:15
Revelation 4:1
References God
Acts 7:56
Matthew 3:16
Ezekiel 11:24
Ezekiel 10:20
John 1:51
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.
Reference
📍 Chebar
People
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.
Reference
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 10:14
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.
Reference
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 10:21
9
Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 10:22
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.
Reference
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.
Reference
12
And they went every one straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 1:9
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.
Reference
Light
Revelation 4:5
Revelation 18:1
Matthew 28:3
Parallel theme
Psalm 104:4
Revelation 10:1
Genesis 15:17
Ezekiel 1:7
14
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Reference
Light
Matthew 24:27
Luke 17:24
Parallel theme
Zechariah 4:10
Psalm 147:15
Mark 13:27
Matthew 24:31
Daniel 9:21
15
Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel on the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
Reference
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Daniel 10:6
18
As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.
Reference
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 10:16
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.
Reference
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.
Reference
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.
Reference
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.
Reference
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.
Reference
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.
Reference
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.
Reference
Glory
Ezekiel 3:23
Exodus 24:16
Ezekiel 8:4
Parallel theme
Revelation 10:1
Revelation 4:3
Genesis 17:3
Acts 9:4
Daniel 8:17
Summary of Ezekiel 1
Ezekiel 1 records one of the Bible's most extraordinary visions of God's glory, beginning with Ezekiel among the Jewish exiles in Babylon when the heavens suddenly open and he sees a supernatural vision involving a storm, fire, four living creatures, mysterious wheels covered with eyes, a brilliant crystal-like expanse, and finally a throne above which appears a radiant figure representing the glory of the Lord.
The historical setting is extremely important because Ezekiel is not standing in Jerusalem when he receives this vision. He is living among the exiles in Babylon, several years after King Jehoiachin and many Judeans were taken from Jerusalem. This immediately communicates one of the chapter's most important theological ideas: God's presence is not confined to Jerusalem or the Temple. Even though the people have been removed from their homeland, God is still able to reveal Himself, speak to His prophet, and demonstrate His authority in a foreign land.
The vision begins with a violent and brilliant storm from the north, filled with clouds, lightning, fire, and glowing material, creating an atmosphere of overwhelming power. Within this storm Ezekiel sees four living creatures whose appearance combines human and animal characteristics, with four faces, four wings, human-like hands, bronze-like legs and feet, and extraordinary coordinated movement.
The creatures are not presented as random monsters but as highly organized heavenly servants. Their wings touch one another, they move together, and they travel in whatever direction the Spirit directs without turning. Their movements communicate order, purpose, obedience, and supernatural control, while the fire and lightning surrounding them reinforce the impression that Ezekiel is witnessing something far beyond ordinary earthly experience.
Beside the creatures are four extraordinary wheels, and the wheels move together with the living creatures wherever the Spirit directs them. Their ability to travel in every direction without turning, combined with their unusual construction and eyes covering their rims, emphasizes mobility, awareness, and divine control.
The wheels are particularly important because they show that God's presence can move.
For Ezekiel and the exiles, this would have been deeply significant. The people had experienced the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and they could easily have wondered whether God's presence had been defeated or whether Babylon's gods had somehow proven stronger. Ezekiel's vision answers that fear by presenting God as completely mobile and sovereign, traveling above and beyond earthly borders rather than being trapped inside one building or one city.
Above the living creatures and wheels is a vast crystal-like expanse, brilliant and terrifying, and above that Ezekiel sees something resembling a sapphire throne. The throne becomes the central focus of the entire vision because everything beneath it—the storm, fire, creatures, wheels, and expanse—ultimately directs attention upward toward the One who sits above them.
The figure on the throne has a human-like appearance but is surrounded by extraordinary brightness, fire, and radiant colors, making it clear that Ezekiel is not describing an ordinary human king. Instead, he carefully speaks of the appearance or likeness of the glory of the Lord, using cautious language because the reality he is seeing is beyond ordinary human description.
The final image is especially striking: a rainbow-like radiance surrounds the throne, producing an appearance similar to sunlight shining through a cloud after rain. The vision therefore combines terrifying power with beautiful radiance, showing God's glory as both overwhelming and majestic.
When Ezekiel sees this, he falls facedown.
This is an important response because the vision is not given merely to satisfy curiosity or provide Ezekiel with something interesting to describe. He is encountering the living God, and the appropriate response is humility, reverence, and submission before the divine presence.
The central message is that Ezekiel 1 introduces the prophet's ministry through a breathtaking vision of God's glory among the Jewish exiles in Babylon, showing through the storm, fire, living creatures, wheels, crystal-like expanse, sapphire throne, radiant figure, and rainbow-like brilliance that God's power is infinitely greater than the political kingdoms surrounding His people and that His presence is not restricted to Jerusalem, the Temple, or the land of Judah, because even in exile God remains sovereign, mobile, attentive, and completely in control of His heavenly servants, while the extraordinary coordination of the creatures and wheels demonstrates that everything moves according to His Spirit and the throne above them establishes His authority over all earthly rulers, making the vision both a revelation of divine majesty and a message of hope to people who might have believed that the destruction of Jerusalem meant the end of God's presence among them, because although Judah has been defeated and Ezekiel himself is far from the Temple, the glory of the Lord has not been defeated or imprisoned, and the chapter ends with Ezekiel falling facedown before the radiant presence of God as he prepares to receive the prophetic message that will shape the rest of his ministry.
The historical setting is extremely important because Ezekiel is not standing in Jerusalem when he receives this vision. He is living among the exiles in Babylon, several years after King Jehoiachin and many Judeans were taken from Jerusalem. This immediately communicates one of the chapter's most important theological ideas: God's presence is not confined to Jerusalem or the Temple. Even though the people have been removed from their homeland, God is still able to reveal Himself, speak to His prophet, and demonstrate His authority in a foreign land.
The vision begins with a violent and brilliant storm from the north, filled with clouds, lightning, fire, and glowing material, creating an atmosphere of overwhelming power. Within this storm Ezekiel sees four living creatures whose appearance combines human and animal characteristics, with four faces, four wings, human-like hands, bronze-like legs and feet, and extraordinary coordinated movement.
The creatures are not presented as random monsters but as highly organized heavenly servants. Their wings touch one another, they move together, and they travel in whatever direction the Spirit directs without turning. Their movements communicate order, purpose, obedience, and supernatural control, while the fire and lightning surrounding them reinforce the impression that Ezekiel is witnessing something far beyond ordinary earthly experience.
Beside the creatures are four extraordinary wheels, and the wheels move together with the living creatures wherever the Spirit directs them. Their ability to travel in every direction without turning, combined with their unusual construction and eyes covering their rims, emphasizes mobility, awareness, and divine control.
The wheels are particularly important because they show that God's presence can move.
For Ezekiel and the exiles, this would have been deeply significant. The people had experienced the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and they could easily have wondered whether God's presence had been defeated or whether Babylon's gods had somehow proven stronger. Ezekiel's vision answers that fear by presenting God as completely mobile and sovereign, traveling above and beyond earthly borders rather than being trapped inside one building or one city.
Above the living creatures and wheels is a vast crystal-like expanse, brilliant and terrifying, and above that Ezekiel sees something resembling a sapphire throne. The throne becomes the central focus of the entire vision because everything beneath it—the storm, fire, creatures, wheels, and expanse—ultimately directs attention upward toward the One who sits above them.
The figure on the throne has a human-like appearance but is surrounded by extraordinary brightness, fire, and radiant colors, making it clear that Ezekiel is not describing an ordinary human king. Instead, he carefully speaks of the appearance or likeness of the glory of the Lord, using cautious language because the reality he is seeing is beyond ordinary human description.
The final image is especially striking: a rainbow-like radiance surrounds the throne, producing an appearance similar to sunlight shining through a cloud after rain. The vision therefore combines terrifying power with beautiful radiance, showing God's glory as both overwhelming and majestic.
When Ezekiel sees this, he falls facedown.
This is an important response because the vision is not given merely to satisfy curiosity or provide Ezekiel with something interesting to describe. He is encountering the living God, and the appropriate response is humility, reverence, and submission before the divine presence.
The central message is that Ezekiel 1 introduces the prophet's ministry through a breathtaking vision of God's glory among the Jewish exiles in Babylon, showing through the storm, fire, living creatures, wheels, crystal-like expanse, sapphire throne, radiant figure, and rainbow-like brilliance that God's power is infinitely greater than the political kingdoms surrounding His people and that His presence is not restricted to Jerusalem, the Temple, or the land of Judah, because even in exile God remains sovereign, mobile, attentive, and completely in control of His heavenly servants, while the extraordinary coordination of the creatures and wheels demonstrates that everything moves according to His Spirit and the throne above them establishes His authority over all earthly rulers, making the vision both a revelation of divine majesty and a message of hope to people who might have believed that the destruction of Jerusalem meant the end of God's presence among them, because although Judah has been defeated and Ezekiel himself is far from the Temple, the glory of the Lord has not been defeated or imprisoned, and the chapter ends with Ezekiel falling facedown before the radiant presence of God as he prepares to receive the prophetic message that will shape the rest of his ministry.