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Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel’s opening vision reveals YHWH’s glory and sovereign rule to a priest living among exiles far from Jerusalem.

Ezekiel, a priest among the captives by the river Chebar in the land of the Chaldeans, sees the heavens opened. It is the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity. A storm cloud approaches with fire and four living creatures, accompanied by wheels that move with them wherever the spirit goes. Above them stands an expanse, and above it a throne with a humanlike figure. Ezekiel identifies the vision as the appearance of YHWH’s glory and falls on his face.

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1Now in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity,
3the LORD’s word came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the LORD’s hand was there on him.
4I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of the middle of it as it were glowing metal, out of the middle of the fire.
5Out of its center came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man.
6Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings.
7Their feet were straight feet. The sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze.
8They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had their faces and their wings like this:
9Their wings were joined to one another. They didn’t turn when they went. Each one went straight forward.
10As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man. The four of them had the face of a lion on the right side. The four of them had the face of an ox on the left side. The four of them also had the face of an eagle.
11Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies.
12Each one went straight forward. Where the spirit was to go, they went. They didn’t turn when they went.
13As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. The fire went up and down among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning went out of the fire.
14The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.
16The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl. The four of them had one likeness. Their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.
17When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn when they went.
18As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around.
19When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. When the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20Wherever the spirit was to go, they went. The spirit was to go there. The wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
21When those went, these went. When those stood, these stood. When those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
22Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like an awesome crystal to look at, stretched out over their heads above.
23Under the expanse, their wings were straight, one toward the other. Each one had two which covered on this side, and each one had two which covered their bodies on that side.
24When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army. When they stood, they let down their wings.
26Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone. On the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above.
27I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.
28As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the LORD’s glory. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.
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Key verses
Ezekiel 1:28The vision reaches its climax as Ezekiel names YHWH’s glory, falls on his face, and hears a voice.
Ezekiel 1:26The throne above the creatures directs attention to the ruler whose glory governs the whole vision.
Ezekiel 1:3God’s word and hand reach Ezekiel in captivity, establishing the exile setting for everything he sees.
Where this chapter reaches

Revelation shares Ezekiel’s imagery of living creatures, eyes, a heavenly throne, and rainbow brightness, while Daniel also portrays a throne amid fire. Isaiah shares the sight of the Lord enthroned with heavenly attendants, and Exodus describes sapphire beneath God’s feet and divine glory appearing in cloud and fire.

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After reading the whole chapter

What changes in your reading of the vision when you keep Ezekiel’s captivity in view?

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How does the movement from creatures and wheels to the throne shape your understanding of God’s rule?

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Questions people ask about Ezekiel 1

What do the wheels mean in Ezekiel 1?

The wheels move beside the living creatures, rise with them, and follow the same spirit. Their rims are full of eyes, and their construction allows movement in four directions without turning. The chapter stresses their coordinated motion within the vision of God’s glory; it does not explain every feature’s symbolic meaning.

Who is on the throne in Ezekiel 1?

Ezekiel describes a humanlike figure on a sapphire-like throne, surrounded by fire and brightness. Verse 28 identifies the vision as the appearance of YHWH’s glory. The repeated language of likeness and appearance marks the description’s limits. The chapter does not name the figure as Jesus or explain distinctions within the Trinity.

What does the thirtieth year mean in Ezekiel 1?

The opening verse mentions the thirtieth year without stating what event begins that count. Some understand it as Ezekiel’s age, but the chapter does not confirm that reading. The next verse supplies a clearer historical marker: the vision occurs in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).