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Ezekiel 1-4
Contemporary English Version

Ezekiel Sees the Lord's Glory

1 1-3 (A) I am Ezekiel—a priest and the son of Buzi.[a]

Five years after King Jehoiachin of Judah had been led away as a prisoner to Babylonia, I was living near the Chebar River among those who had been taken there with him. Then on the fifth day of the fourth month[b] of the thirtieth year,[c] the heavens suddenly opened. The Lord placed his hand upon me[d] and showed me some visions.

4 I saw a windstorm blowing in from the north. Lightning flashed from a huge cloud and lit up the whole sky with a dazzling brightness. The fiery center of the cloud was as shiny as polished metal, 5 (B) and in that center I saw what looked like four living creatures. They were somewhat like humans, 6 except that each one had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, but their feet looked like the hoofs of calves and sparkled like bronze. 8 Under each of their wings, these creatures had a human hand. 9 The four creatures were standing back to back with the tips of their wings touching. They moved together in every direction, without turning their bodies.

10 (C) Each creature had the face of a human in front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of a bull on the left, and the face of an eagle in back. 11 Two wings[e] of each creature were spread out and touched the wings of the creatures on either side. The other two wings of each creature were folded against its body.

12 The four living creatures went wherever the Spirit led them, and they moved together without turning their bodies, because each creature faced straight ahead. 13 (D) The creatures were glowing like hot coals, and I saw something like a flaming torch moving back and forth among them. Lightning flashed from the torch every time its flame blazed up.[f] 14 The creatures themselves moved as quickly as sparks jumping from a fire.[g]

15 (E) I then noticed that on the ground beside each of the four living creatures was a wheel,[h] 16 shining like chrysolite.[i] Each wheel was exactly the same and had a second wheel that cut through the middle of it,[j] 17 so that they could move in any direction without turning. 18 (F) The rims of the wheels were large and frightening, and they had eyes all the way around them.[k] 19-21 The creatures controlled when and where the wheels moved—the wheels went wherever the four creatures went and stopped whenever they stopped. Even when the creatures flew in the air, the wheels were beside them.

22-23 (G) Above the living creatures, I saw something that was sparkling like ice, and it reminded me of a dome. Each creature had two of its wings stretched out toward the creatures on either side, with the other two wings folded against its body. 24 (H) Whenever the creatures flew, their wings roared like an ocean or a large army or even the voice of God All-Powerful. And whenever the creatures stopped, they folded their wings against their bodies.

25 When the creatures stopped flapping their wings, I heard a sound coming from above the dome. 26 (I) I then saw what looked like a throne made of sapphire,[l] and sitting on the throne was a figure in the shape of a human. 27 (J) From the waist up, it was glowing like metal in a hot furnace, and from the waist down it looked like the flames of a fire. The figure was surrounded by a bright light, 28 as colorful as a rainbow that appears after a storm.

I realized I was seeing the brightness of the Lord's glory! So I bowed with my face to the ground, and just then I heard a voice speaking to me.

The Lord Chooses Ezekiel

2 The Lord[m] said, “Ezekiel, son of man,[n] I want you to stand up and listen.” 2 After he said this, his Spirit took control of me and lifted me to my feet. Then the Lord said:

3 Ezekiel, I am sending you to the people of Israel. They are just like their ancestors who rebelled against me and refused to stop. 4 They are stubborn and hardheaded. But I, the Lord God, have chosen you to tell them what I say. 5 Those rebels may not even listen, but at least they will know that a prophet has come to them.

6 Don't be afraid of them or of anything they say. You may think you're in the middle of a thorn patch or a bunch of scorpions. But be brave 7 and preach my message to them, whether they choose to listen or not. 8 Ezekiel, don't rebel against me, as they have done. Instead, listen to everything I tell you.

And now, Ezekiel, open your mouth and eat what I am going to give you.

9 (K) Just then, I saw a hand stretched out toward me. And in it was a scroll.[o] 10 The hand opened the scroll, and both sides of it were filled with words of sadness, mourning, and grief.

3 (L) The Lord said, “Ezekiel, son of man, after you eat this scroll, go speak to the people of Israel.”

2-3 He handed me the scroll and said, “Eat this and fill up on it.” So I ate the scroll, and it tasted sweet as honey.

4 The Lord said:

Ezekiel, I am sending you to your own people. 5-6 They are Israelites, not some strangers who speak a foreign language you can't understand. If I were to send you to foreign nations, they would listen to you. 7 But the people of Israel will refuse to listen, because they have refused to listen to me. All of them are stubborn and hardheaded, 8 so I will make you as stubborn as they are. 9 You will be so determined to speak my message that nothing will stop you. I will make you hard like a diamond, and you'll have no reason to be afraid of those arrogant rebels.

10 Listen carefully to everything I say and then think about it. 11 Then go to the people who were brought here to Babylonia with you and tell them you have a message from me, the Lord God. Do this, whether they listen to you or not.

12 The Spirit[p] lifted me up, and as the glory of the Lord started to leave,[q] I heard a loud, thundering noise behind me. 13 It was the sound made by the creatures' wings as they brushed against each other, and by the rumble of the wheels beside them. 14 Then the Spirit carried me away.

The Lord's power had taken complete control of me, and I was both annoyed and angry.

15 When I was back with the others living at Abib Hill near the Chebar River, I sat among them for seven days, shocked at what had happened to me.

The Lord Appoints Ezekiel To Stand Watch

(Ezekiel 33.1-9)

16 Seven days after I had seen the brightness of the Lord's glory, the Lord said:

17 Ezekiel, son of man, I have appointed you to stand watch for the people of Israel. So listen to what I say, then warn them for me. 18 When I tell wicked people they will die because of their sins, you must warn them to turn from their sinful ways so they won't be punished. If you refuse, you are responsible for their death. 19 However, if you do warn them, and they keep on sinning, they will die because of their sins, and you will be innocent.

20 Now suppose faithful people start sinning, and I decide to put stumbling blocks in their paths to make them fall. They deserve to die because of their sins. So if you refuse to warn them, I will forget about the times they were faithful, and I will hold you responsible for their death. 21 But if you do warn them, and they listen to you and stop sinning, I will let them live. And you will be innocent.

Ezekiel Cannot Talk

22 The Lord took control of me and said, “Stand up! Go into the valley, and I will talk with you there.”

23 I immediately went to the valley, where I saw the brightness of the Lord's glory, just as I had seen it near the Chebar River, and I bowed with my face to the ground. 24 His Spirit took control of me and lifted me to my feet. Then the Lord said:

Go back and lock yourself in your house! 25 You will be tied up to keep you inside, 26 and I will make you unable to talk or to warn those who have rebelled against me. 27 But the time will come, when I will tell you what to say, and you will again be able to speak my message.[r] Some of them will listen; others will be stubborn and refuse to listen.

Ezekiel Acts Out an Attack on Jerusalem

The Lord said:

4 Ezekiel, son of man, find a brick and sketch a picture of Jerusalem on it. 2 Then prepare to attack the brick as if it were a real city. Build a dirt mound and a ramp up to the top and surround the brick with enemy camps. On every side put large wooden poles as though you were going to break down the gate to the city. 3 Set up an iron pan like a wall between you and the brick. All this will be a warning for the people of Israel.

4-5 After that, lie down on your left side and stay there for 390 days as a sign of Israel's punishment[s]—one day for each year of its suffering. 6 Then turn over and lie on your right side 40 more days. That will be a sign of Judah's punishment—one day for each year of its suffering.

7 The brick stands for Jerusalem, so attack it! Stare at it and shout angry warnings. 8 I will tie you up, so you can't leave until your attack has ended.

9 Get a large bowl. Then mix together wheat, barley, beans, lentils, and millet, and make some bread. This is what you will eat for the 390 days you are lying down. 10 Eat only a small loaf of bread each day 11 and drink only two large cups of water. 12 Use dried human waste to start a fire, then bake the bread on the coals where everyone can watch you. 13 When I scatter the people of Israel among the nations, they will also have to eat food that is unclean, just as you must do.[t]

14 I said, “Lord God, please don't make me do that! Never in my life have I eaten food that would make me unacceptable to you. I've never eaten anything that died a natural death or was killed by a wild animal or that you said was unclean.”

15 The Lord replied, “Instead of human waste, I will let you bake your bread on a fire made from cow manure. 16 Ezekiel, the people of Jerusalem will starve. They will have so little food and water that they will be afraid and hopeless. 17 Everyone will be shocked at what is happening, and, because of their sins, they will die a slow death.”

Footnotes

  1. 1.1-3 a priest and the son of Buzi: Or “the son of Buzi the priest.”
  2. 1.1-3 Five years … prisoner … fourth month: Probably July of 593 b.c.
  3. 1.1-3 thirtieth year: The event from which this date is figured is unknown.
  4. 1.1-3 The Lord placed his hand upon me: This was a sign that the Lord had chosen Ezekiel to be his prophet.
  5. 1.11 Two wings: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  6. 1.13 up: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 13.
  7. 1.14 as sparks jumping from a fire: Or “as flashes of lightning.”
  8. 1.15 wheel: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 15.
  9. 1.16 chrysolite: A precious stone that has an olive green color.
  10. 1.16 a second wheel that cut through the middle of it: Or “a smaller wheel inside it.”
  11. 1.18 them: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 18.
  12. 1.26 sapphire: A precious stone that has a blue color.
  13. 2.1 The Lord: Hebrew “The voice.”
  14. 2.1 Ezekiel, son of man: The Hebrew text has “Son of man,” which is often used in this book when the Lord speaks directly to Ezekiel. It means that Ezekiel is a mere human, yet he is the one the Lord has chosen to be his prophet who speaks for him to the people of Israel.
  15. 2.9 scroll: A roll of paper or special leather used for writing on.
  16. 3.12 The Spirit: Or “A wind.”
  17. 3.12 as the glory of the Lord started to leave: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  18. 3.27 again … speak my message: See 33.21,22.
  19. 4.4,5 Israel's punishment: Israel here refers to the northern kingdom that was destroyed in 722 b.c.
  20. 4.13 have to eat food that is unclean, just as you must do: The Lord had forbidden the people of Israel to mix certain things (see Deuteronomy 22.9-11), and so the people would not have been allowed to eat this bread under normal conditions. It is used here to show that when a city is under attack, people eat whatever food is left, even if the Lord had said it was unclean.
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Ezekiel 1-4
New International Version

Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision

1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles(A) by the Kebar River,(B) the heavens were opened(C) and I saw visions(D) of God.

2 On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin(E)— 3 the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel(F) the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.[a] There the hand of the Lord was on him.(G)

4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm(H) coming out of the north(I)—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,(J) 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.(K) In appearance their form was human,(L) 6 but each of them had four faces(M) and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.(N) 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.(O) All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.(P)

10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.(Q) 11 Such were their faces. They each had two wings(R) spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.(S) 13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals(T) of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning(U) flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.(V)

15 As I looked at the living creatures,(W) I saw a wheel(X) on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz,(Y) and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction(Z) as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes(AA) all around.

19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go,(AB) and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.(AC)

22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault,(AD) sparkling like crystal, and awesome. 23 Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing(AE) waters, like the voice(AF) of the Almighty,[b] like the tumult of an army.(AG) When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

25 Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne(AH) of lapis lazuli,(AI) and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.(AJ) 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.(AK) 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow(AL) in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.(AM)

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory(AN) of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown,(AO) and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Ezekiel’s Call to Be a Prophet

2 He said to me, “Son of man,[c](AP) stand(AQ) up on your feet and I will speak to you.(AR)” 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me(AS) to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

3 He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day.(AT) 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn.(AU) Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’(AV) 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen(AW)—for they are a rebellious people(AX)—they will know that a prophet has been among them.(AY) 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid(AZ) of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns(BA) are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.(BB) 7 You must speak(BC) my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.(BD) 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel(BE) like that rebellious people;(BF) open your mouth and eat(BG) what I give you.”

9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand(BH) stretched out to me. In it was a scroll,(BI) 10 which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.(BJ)

3 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate(BK) it, and it tasted as sweet as honey(BL) in my mouth.

4 He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.(BM) 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language,(BN) but to the people of Israel— 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.(BO) 7 But the people of Israel are not willing to listen(BP) to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.(BQ) 8 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.(BR) 9 I will make your forehead(BS) like the hardest stone, harder than flint.(BT) Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.(BU)”

10 And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart(BV) all the words I speak to you. 11 Go(BW) now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’(BX) whether they listen or fail to listen.(BY)”

12 Then the Spirit lifted me up,(BZ) and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound as the glory of the Lord rose from the place where it was standing.[d] 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures(CA) brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound.(CB) 14 The Spirit(CC) then lifted me up(CD) and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord(CE) on me. 15 I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River.(CF) And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days(CG)—deeply distressed.

Ezekiel’s Task as Watchman

16 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me:(CH) 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman(CI) for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.(CJ) 18 When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,(CK)’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for[e] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.(CL) 19 But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn(CM) from their wickedness(CN) or from their evil ways, they will die(CO) for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.(CP)

20 “Again, when a righteous person turns(CQ) from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block(CR) before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.(CS) 21 But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.(CT)”

22 The hand of the Lord(CU) was on me there, and he said to me, “Get up and go(CV) out to the plain,(CW) and there I will speak to you.” 23 So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the Lord was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River,(CX) and I fell facedown.(CY)

24 Then the Spirit came into me and raised me(CZ) to my feet. He spoke to me and said: “Go, shut yourself inside your house.(DA) 25 And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people.(DB) 26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof(DC) of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious people.(DD) 27 But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’(DE) Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.(DF)

Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized

4 “Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. 2 Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp(DG) up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it.(DH) 3 Then take an iron pan,(DI) place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward(DJ) it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign(DK) to the people of Israel.(DL)

4 “Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the people of Israel upon yourself.[f] You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. 5 I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the people of Israel.

6 “After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin(DM) of the people of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year.(DN) 7 Turn your face(DO) toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her. 8 I will tie you up with ropes so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have finished the days of your siege.(DP)

9 “Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt;(DQ) put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the 390 days you lie on your side. 10 Weigh out twenty shekels[g](DR) of food to eat each day and eat it at set times. 11 Also measure out a sixth of a hin[h] of water and drink it at set times.(DS) 12 Eat the food as you would a loaf of barley bread; bake it in the sight of the people, using human excrement(DT) for fuel.” 13 The Lord said, “In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them.”(DU)

14 Then I said, “Not so, Sovereign Lord!(DV) I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead(DW) or torn by wild animals. No impure meat has ever entered my mouth.(DX)”

15 “Very well,” he said, “I will let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human excrement.”

16 He then said to me: “Son of man, I am about to cut off(DY) the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair,(DZ) 17 for food and water will be scarce.(EA) They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of[i] their sin.(EB)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:3 Or Chaldeans
  2. Ezekiel 1:24 Hebrew Shaddai
  3. Ezekiel 2:1 The Hebrew phrase ben adam means human being. The phrase son of man is retained as a form of address here and throughout Ezekiel because of its possible association with “Son of Man” in the New Testament.
  4. Ezekiel 3:12 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text sound—may the glory of the Lord be praised from his place
  5. Ezekiel 3:18 Or in; also in verses 19 and 20
  6. Ezekiel 4:4 Or upon your side
  7. Ezekiel 4:10 That is, about 8 ounces or about 230 grams
  8. Ezekiel 4:11 That is, about 2/3 quart or about 0.6 liter
  9. Ezekiel 4:17 Or away in
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