The Divine Glory

An awesome, crystal-like expanse is spread above the heads of the living creatures, beneath which their wings stretch out in ordered reverence. When they move, the sound of their wings resembles many waters, the voice of the Almighty, and the tumult of an army; when they stop, a voice comes from above the expanse. The entire scene is suspended beneath an authority greater than even these terrifying attendants.

S²²pread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal. ²³And under the expanse, their wings stretched out toward one another. Each one also had two wings covering its body. ²⁴When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. ²⁵When they stood still, they lowered their wings. And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood still with their wings lowered.

Above the expanse Ezekiel sees something like a sapphire throne and, upon it, a human-like figure radiating fiery amber brilliance from above and below the waist. Surrounding light shines like a rainbow in a rain cloud. Recognizing this as the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD, Ezekiel falls on his face and hears a voice speaking.

²⁶Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man. ²⁷From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around. And from what seemed to be His waist down, I saw what looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him. ²⁸The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.