Chapter 10: Book of the Prophet Ezekiel of Cherubim, Wheels, Four Living Creatures (JPS, 1985)

Ezekiel chapter 10, verses 8 - 22

Jewish Publication Series Translation (1985)

I (the prophet) could see that there were

four wheels besides the cherubs, one wheel

beside each of the cherubs, as for the 

appearance of the wheels, they gleamed like

the beryl stone.  In appearance, the four

had the same form, as if there were two

wheels cutting through each other.  And

when they moved, each could move in the

direction of any of its four quarters; they

did not veer as they moved.  The [cherubs]

moved in the direction in which one of the

heads faced, without turning as they moved.

Their entire bodies -- backs, hands, and

wings -- and the wheels, the wheels of

the four of them, were covered all over

with eyes.  It was these wheels that I had

heard called the "wheelwork."  Each one

had four faces: one was a cherub's face,

the second a human face, the third a lion's

face, and the fourth an eagle's face.

The cherubs ascended; those were the

creatures that I had seen by the Chebar

Canal.  Whenever the cherubs went,

the wheels went beside them; and when

the cherubs lifted their wings to ascend

from the earth, the wheels did not roll

away from their side.  When those stood

still, these stood still; and when those

ascended, these ascended with them, for

the spirit of the creatures was in them.

Then the Presence of the Lord left the

platform of the House and stopped above

the cherubs.  And I saw the cherubs lift

their wings and rise from the earth, with

the wheels beside them as they departed;

and they stopped at the entrance of the

eastern gate of the House of the Lord, with

the Presence of the God of Israel above them.

They were the same creatures that I had

seen below the God of Israel at the Chebar

Canal, so now I knew that they were cherubs.

Each one had four faces and each had four

wings, with the form of human hands under

the wings.  As for the form of their faces,

they were the very faces that I had seen

by the Chebar Canal -- their appearance

and their features -- and each could move

in the direction of any of its faces.