Apocalypse of Abraham18

The Vision of the Chariot

^1•And while I still recited the song, the mouth of the fire which was on the surface rose up on high. ^2•And I heard a voice like the roaring of the sea; nor did it cease on account of the rich abundance of the fire. ^3•And as the fire raised itself up, ascending into the height, I saw under the fire a throne of fire, and, round about it all-seeing ones, reciting the song, and under the throne four fiery living creatures singing. ^4•And their appearance was one, each one of them with four faces. And such was the appearance of their countenances, of a lion, of a man, of an ox, of an eagle:"The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and also the face of an eagle." ^5•Four heads were upon their bodies so that the four creatures had sixteen faces; ^6•And each had six wings; from their shoulders, and their sides and their loins. ^7•And with the two wings from their shoulders they covered their faces, and with the two wings which sprang from their loins they covered their feet, while the two middle wings they spread out for flying straightforward. "and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form, but each had four faces and four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze." ^8•And when they had ended the singing, they looked at one another and threatened one another. ^9•And it came to pass when the angel who was with me saw that they were threatening each other, he left me and went running to them and turned the countenance of each living creature from the countenance immediately confronting him, in order that they might not see their countenances threatening each other. And he taught them the song of peace which hath its origin in the Eternal One. ^10•And as I stood alone and looked, I saw behind the living creatures a chariot with fiery wheels. ^11•Each wheel full of eyes round about; and over the wheels was a throne which I saw, ^12•and this was covered with fire, and fire encircled it round about, and lo! an indescribable fire environed a fiery host. ^13•And I heard its holy voice like the voice of a man.