EZEKIEL.

I.

The call of Ezekiel to the prophetic office. CH. I. III. 21.

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 Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw vis2 ions of God. On the fifth day of the month, in the 3 fifth year of the captivity of king Jehoiachin, the word of Jehovah came to Ezekiel, the son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him. 4 And I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came from the north, a great cloud, and a mass of fire; and a brightness was round about it, and in the midst of it the appearance of bright brass, in the midst of the fire. 5 And in the midst of it were the forms of four living creatures. And this was their appearance. They had 6 the form of a man. And every one had four faces, 7 and every one had four wings. And their feet were upright; and the sole of their feet was as the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like polished brass. › And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides, and all four had faces and wings.

9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not about when they went; they went every one 10 straight forward. As for the form of their faces, all four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right side, and all four had the face of an ox on the left side, and all four had also the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces. And their wings were expanded upward; two wings of every one were joined, and two 12 covered their bodies. And they went every one straight forward; whither the spirit was to go, they went, and they turned not about when they went. 13 And the appearance of the living creatures was as coals of fire, burning like torches; and the fire moved about among the living creatures, and shone forth 14 brightly; and out of the fire came forth lightning. And the living creatures ran backward and forward like a flash of lightning.

15

Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, there stood a wheel upon the earth by each of the living crea16 tures, with its four sides. The appearance of the wheels, and their work, was like that of a chrysolite, and all four had one form, and their appearance and their work was, as if a wheel had been within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went upon their four sides, and 18 they turned not about when they went. As for their

felloes, they were high and terrible; and their felloes. were full of eyes round about upon all four of them. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. Whith20 ersoever the spirit was to go, they went, whithersoever the spirit was to go; and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creatures was

21 in the wheels. 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 beside them; for the spirit of the living creatures was 22 in the wheels. And over the heads of the living creatures was the appearance of a firmament, like crystal, terrible, spread out over their heads above. 23 And under the firmament were their wings upright,

the one toward the other; and every one had two, which 24 covered his body. And I heard the sound of their

wings, as the sound of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, when they went; a sound like the noise of a host. And when they stood still, they let down 25 their wings. And there was a voice from the firmament, that was over their heads; and they stood still, and let down their wings.

26 And above the firmament over their heads was an appearance like a sapphire-stone, like a throne; and above, upon that which had the appearance of a throne, 27 there was a form like that of a man. And I saw what had the appearance of bright brass, what had the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins, and upward. And from his loins downward I saw what had the appearance of fire, and 28 its brightness was round about him. 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 glory of Jehovah. And when I saw it I fell upon my face, and I heard the voice of one who spoke.

1 And he said to me, Son of man, stand upon thy 2 feet, and I will speak with thee. And the spirit en

tered into me, when he spoke to me, and set me upon 3 my feet; and I heard him that spake with me. And he said to me, Son of man, I send thee to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious nation, that hath rebelled against me; they and their fathers have rebelled against me to 4 this very day. Brazen-faced and stiff-hearted are the And thou shalt say to

sons, to whom I send thee. 5 them, Thus saith the Lord, Jehovah. And whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, for they are a rebellious house, yet shall they know that 6 a prophet is in the midst of them. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, and of their words be not afraid, though they be briars and thorns toward thee, and though thou dwell among scorpions; be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their 7 looks, for they are a rebellious house. Speak thou my words to them, whether they will hear, or whether 8 they will forbear, for they are most rebellious. But thou, son of man, hear what I say to thee! Be not thou rebellious, like that rebellious house! Open thy mouth, and eat that which I give thee!

9. And when I looked, behold, a hand was put forth to 10 me; and lo, a book-roll was therein. And he spread

it before me, and it was written within and without. And there was written therein lamentation and mourning and woe.

And he said to me, Son of man, eat that which thou findest, eat this roll, and go, speak to the house of 2 Israel! So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the ⚫ roll to eat. And he said to me, Son of man, let thy stomach eat, and fill thy body with this roll, which I give thee! Then I eat it, and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.