And it happened in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

Coming the Word of Jehovah became known to Ezekiel, the son of Buzi, the priest in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar. And the hand of Jehovah was on him there.

Also out of its midst came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was how they looked; they had the likeness of a man.

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 copper.

And each went toward the front of their faces. To where the spirit was to go, there they went; they did not turn in their going.

And the likeness of the living creatures: they looked like burning coals of fire; like the appearance of torches. It was continually circling among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

And as I looked at the living creatures, behold, one wheel was on the earth by the living creatures, with its four faces.

The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was the color of beryl, and the four of them had one likeness. And their appearance and their workmanship was like a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

Wherever the spirit was to go, there they went; there the spirit was to go, and the wheels were lifted up along with them. For the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

In their going, these went; and in their standing still, these stood still. And in their lifting up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up along with them. For the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

And there was a likeness over the heads of the living creature; an expanse, like the color of awesome crystal stretched out over their heads from above.

And I heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, in their going was the sound of tumult, like the sound of an army. In their standing still, they let down their wings.

And there was a voice from the expanse which was over their heads, in their standing still, and they let down their wings.

And from above the expanse that was over their heads was a likeness like a sapphire stone, the likeness of a throne. And on the likeness of the throne was a likeness looking like a man on it from above.

As the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain looks, so the brightness all around looked. This was how the likeness of the glory of Jehovah looked. And I saw. And I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.

And I looked, and behold! A hand was extended to me; and lo, a roll of a book was in it.

And He spread it before me; and it was written on the face and the back. And written on it were weepings, and mourning, and woe.

And He said to me, Son of man, cause your belly to eat, and fill your belly with this roll that I give you. Then I ate it; and in my mouth it was like honey for sweetness.

So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of Jehovah was strong on me.

And the hand of Jehovah was on me there. And He said to me, Arise, go out into the plain, and I will talk with you there.

And those of you who escape shall remember Me among the nations where they shall be exiled, because I was broken by their whoring heart which has departed from Me, and with their whoring eyes which go after their idols. And they shall despise themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

And it was in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth of the month, I was sitting in my house, and the elders of Judah were sitting before me. And the hand of the Lord Jehovah fell on me there.

And He put out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head. And the Spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heavens, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the opening of the inner gate facing north, where there was a seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy.

And, behold! The glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.

And He said to me, Son of man, lift up your eyes now to the way of the north. So I lifted up my eyes the way toward the north, and behold, northward at the gate of the altar the image of jealousy was at the entrance.

And seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, and Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, standing among them, these were before them, and each man with his censor in his hand. And the odor of the cloud of incense was rising.

And behold, six men came from the way of the Upper Gate which faces north, and each had his shattering weapon in his hand. And one man among them was clothed with linen, and a writer's inkhorn by his side. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

And the glory of the God of Israel had gone on from the cherub, where it was on it, to the threshold of the house. And He called to the man clothed in linen, with the writer's inkhorn by his side.

And I looked, and behold! In the expanse over the head of the cherubs was seen the appearance of the form of a throne, like a sapphire stone, above them.

And the glory of Jehovah rose from the cherub, over the threshold of the house. And the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Jehovah's glory.

And the sound of the cherubs' wings was heard over the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when He speaks.

And the form of a man's hand was seen under the wings of the cherubs.

And I looked, and behold, the four wheels were beside the cherubs, one wheel was by one cherub, and another wheel by one cherub; and the wheels looked like the color of a stone of Tarshish.

And their appearance was as one, the four of them, as if the wheel were in the midst of the wheel.

As for the wheels, it was cried to them in my hearing, Whirling wheel!

And four faces were to each one. The first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

When they stood still, these stood still, and when they rose up, these lifted up. For the spirit of the living creature was in them.

And the cherubs lifted up their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight. When they went out, the wheels also were beside them. And he stood at the door of the eastern gate of Jehovah's house. And the glory of the God of Israel was over them from above.

Four, even four faces are to each; and four wings to each. And the form of a man's hands was under their wings.

And the cherubs lifted up their wings, and the wheels beside them. And the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

And I did as I was commanded. By day I brought out my vessel as a vessel for exile. And in the evening I dug by hand through the wall. I brought it out in the dark, and I carried it on my shoulder before their eyes.

Because, even because they made My people go astray, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and he builds a wall, and lo, others daubed it with lime.

Behold, when it was whole, it was not made for work. How much less when the fire has devoured it, and it is charred? Shall it yet be made to work?

And say, So says the Lord Jehovah to Jerusalem, Your origin and your birth is of the land of Canaan. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite.

And as for your birth, in the day you were born your navel was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you. And you were not salted, nor swaddled at all.

No eye pitied you, to do any of these to you, to have compassion on you. But you were thrown out into the open field, because your life was despised in the day that you were born.

And I passed by you and looked on you, and, behold, your time was the time of love. And I spread my skirt over you and covered your nakedness. And I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord Jehovah. And you became Mine.

And you were adorned with gold and silver; and your clothing was of fine linen and silk and embroidered work. You ate fine flour and honey and oil; and you were exceedingly beautiful. And you advanced to regal estate.

And your name went out among the nations, because of your beauty; for it was perfect in My beauty, which I had put on you, says the Lord Jehovah.

But you trusted in your beauty, and played the harlot because of your name, and poured out your fornications on all who passed by; it was his.

And in you was the opposite from those women in your fornications, since no one whores after you, and in your giving wages, and hire is not given to you. In this you are opposite.

So says the Lord Jehovah: Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness was bared in your fornications with your lovers, and with all the idols of your abominations, and by the blood of your sons whom you gave to them;

You are your mother's daughter, who despises her husband and her sons. And you are the sister of your sisters, who despise their husbands and their sons. Your mother was a Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom; pride. Fullness of bread and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters. Nor did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

For your sister Sodom was not mentioned by your mouth in the day of your pride,

before your wickedness was uncovered, as at the time of your reproach of the daughters of Syria, and of all her neighbors, the daughters of the Philistines who hated you from all around.

There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers. And behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and shot out its branches toward him, that he might water it, away from the beds of its planting.

It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring out branches, and that it might bear fruit, to be a splendid vine.

The nations also heard of him. He was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains to the land of Egypt.

And when she saw that she had waited and that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a strong lion.

And he knew his widows, and he laid their cities waste, and the land and its fullness was desolated, from the sound of his roaring.

And the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him. He was taken in their pit.

Your mother is like a vine in your blood, planted by the waters; she was fruitful and full of branches because of many waters.

And she had strong rods for the scepters of those who bore rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches; and it was seen in her height, with the multitude of her branches.

But she was plucked up in fury; she was thrown down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit. Her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire burned them up.

So says the Lord Jehovah: Remove the diadem, and take off the crown. This shall not be as it was. Lift up the low one, and put down the high one.

And her sister Oholibah saw, she was more corrupt in her lustfulness than she, and her fornications were greater than her sister's whoredom.

And I saw that she was defiled, one way was to both of them.

And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with fornications. And she was defiled with them, and her mind was alienated from them.

So she uncovered her fornications and uncovered her nakedness. And My soul was alienated from her just as My soul was alienated from her sister.

For so says the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will give you into the hand of those whom you hate, into the hand of whom your soul was alienated from them.

And they have even sent for men to come from far, to whom a messenger was sent. And lo, they came. You washed yourself for them, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments,

And the sound of a crowd was at ease with her; and drunkards from the wilderness were brought with the men of the host of mankind; and they put bracelets on their hands, and crowns of beauty on their heads.

So I spoke to the people in the morning. And in the evening my wife died, and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

And say to the Ammonites, Hear the Word of the Lord Jehovah. So says the Lord Jehovah: Because you said, Aha, against My sanctuary when it was defiled, and against the land of Israel when it was ruined, and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity;

And they shall take up a mourning for you, and say to you, How you who lived by the sea are destroyed, the famous city which was strong in the sea, she and her people who caused their terror to be on all who lived in it!

Your sail was of fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt, an ensign for you; violet and purple from the coasts of Elishah was your covering.

Tarshish was your merchant because of the multitude of your wealth; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they gave for your wares.

Syria was your merchant because of the multitude of your works; with emeralds, purple, and embroidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and rubies they gave for your wares.

Damascus was your merchant in the multitude of your works, from the multitude of all riches, in the wine of Helbon, and white wool.

Dedan was your merchant in loose cloths for riding.

Arabia, and all the rulers of Kedar were traders of your hand, in lambs, and rams, and goats; in them was your trade.

You have been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the ruby, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the turquoise, and the emerald, and gold. The workmanship of your tambourines and of your flutes was prepared in you in the day that you were created.

You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you.

Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you have spoiled your wisdom because of your brightness. I will cast you to the ground; I will put you before kings, that they may behold you.

Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyre. Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled. Yet neither he nor his army had any pay for Tyre, for the service that he had served against it.

Behold, Assyria was like a cedar in Lebanon, with fair branches and forest shade, and of great height. And his top was among the thick boughs.

So his height was lifted up above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the many waters, when he sent out.

So he was beautiful in his greatness, in the length of his branches. For his root was by great waters.

The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him; the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chestnut trees were not like his branches. Nor was any tree in the garden of God like him in his beauty.

It was also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth of the month, that the Word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude. Her graves are all around him; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; though their terror was given in the land of the living, yet they have borne their shame with those who go down to the Pit. He is put among the slain.

And it was in the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth of the month, one who escaped out of Jerusalem came to me, saying, The city is stricken.

And Jehovah's hand was on me in the evening, before he who had escaped came. And He had opened my mouth until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was dumb no more.

Son of man, those who live in those wastes of the land of Israel are speaking, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land. But we are many; the land is given to us for inheritance.

You have not made the weak strong, nor have you healed the sick, nor have you bound up the broken. You have not brought again those driven away, nor have you sought that which was lost; but you have ruled them with force and with cruelty.

My sheep wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill. Yea, My flock was scattered on all the face of the earth, and none searched nor sought for them.

As I live, says the Lord Jehovah, surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock,

Because you have said, These two nations and these two lands shall be mine, and we shall possess it; yet Jehovah was there;

Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings, even as the defilement of woman's impurity, their way was before Me.