Ezekiel 1
Ezekiel 1 is the first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains prophecies attributed to the prophet/priest Ezekiel, and is one of the Books of the Prophets. In the New King James Version, this chapter is sub-titled "Ezekiel’s Vision of God", and in the New International Version, "Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision". In the text, the first verse refers to "visions" (plural). Text. The original text of this chapter was written in the Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 28 verses . Textual witnesses. Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008). Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q74 (4QEzek; 50 BCE–50 CE) with extant verses 10–13, 16–17, 19–24; and 11Q4 (11QEzek; 50 BCE–50 CE) with extant verses 8–10. There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint  version include Codex Vaticanus (B; formula_1; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; formula_1; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; formula_1; 6th century). Superscription (1:1-3). The first three verses form a superscription of the book, containing the identity of the prophet as well as the time and place that the prophecy was received and delivered. There are two distinct introductions: one in the first person (verse 1) and another in the third person (verses 2-3; the only two verses in the book written in the third person). Verse 1. The first verse of the book announces that the writer received  'visions of God' while he was among the exiles 'by the river Chebar' in 'the thirtieth year'. The Syriac text refers to "a vision" (singular). Rashi, a medieval French rabbi, suggests that the thirty years are counted "from the beginning of the jubilee cycle", the last of which was started "at the beginning of the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign; that is, the year that Hilkiah found the scroll" recounted in . This view is based on Seder Olam (chapter 26), and also based on : ""In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on  the tenth of the month,"" which the rabbis said (Arachin 12a) denoted the jubilee year (), and which the prophet uses for his reference of time counting. The date corresponds to July 24, 568 BCE, based on an analysis by German theologian Bernhard Lang. The Vision of the Throne-Chariot (1:4-28). Ezekiel's first vision comes when a stormy wind blew in from the north, bringing with it a shiny cloud that contains 'Yahweh's chariot borne by supernatural creatures'. These "four living creatures" are identified in as cherubim. Verse 10. With four faces in different directions simultaneously the creatures  can move in any direction and also 'guard the blazing substance around which they stand'. Verse 16. This description (and also in verse 19) becomes the inspiration for the construction of the "Ezekiel Airship". Verse 19. This description (and also in verse 16) becomes the inspiration for the construction of the "Ezekiel Airship". Verse 27. Ezekiel saw a human form that shines as if with "fire" (Hebrew: hasmal). Verse 28. The brightness surrounding the human form in Ezekiel's vision looks like a rainbow, and as soon as he sees it, Ezekiel falls prostrate, because he recognizes it as 'the  appearance of the likeness of the glory' of Yahweh. The whole report of the vision uses 'the unmistakable symbols of Yahweh's presence for an Israelite reader'.