² And God spoke to Israel^(A) in a vision at night^(B) and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Here I am,”^(C) he replied.

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 In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa^(A) in the province of Elam;^(B) in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal.

⁸ So I was left alone,^(A) gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left,^(B) my face turned deathly pale^(C) and I was helpless.^(D)

¹⁶ Then one who looked like a man^[a] touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak.^(A) I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish^(B) because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak.

¹¹ Then an angel^(A) of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.^(B)

²² When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs^(A) to them but remained unable to speak.

¹¹ He saw heaven opened^(A) and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.

¹⁷ “When I returned to Jerusalem^(A) and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance^{(B) 18} and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’