Ezekiel 8

Abominations Shown in the Temple

1 In the sixth year, sixth month, fifth day, I was sitting in my house and the elders of Judah were sitting in front of me, when the hand of the Lord GOD fell on me right there.

2 I looked, and I saw something that looked like a man. From what looked like His waist down was fire, and from His waist up looked like glowing metal, shining bright.

3 He reached out what looked like a hand and grabbed me by the hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and took me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the inner gate facing north, where the idol that provokes jealousy was standing.

4 And there was the glory of the God of Israel, just like the vision I had seen in the valley.

The Idol of Jealousy

5 He said to me, “Son of man, lift up your eyes toward the north.” So I lifted my eyes north, and right there north of the altar gate was this idol of jealousy at the entrance.

6 He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, The huge disgusting things the house of Israel is doing here, driving Me far away from My sanctuary, But you will see even worse things.”

Secret Idolatry of the Elders

7 Then He brought me to the entrance of the courtyard, and when I looked, there was a hole in the wall.

8 He said to me, “Son of man, dig through the wall.” So I dug through it, and there was a doorway.

9 He said to me, “Go in and see the wicked, disgusting things they are doing here.”

10 So I went in and looked, and carved all over the walls were every kind of creeping thing and disgusting animal, and all the idols of the house of Israel.

11 Standing in front of them were seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them. Each man had a censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense was rising.

12 Then He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each man in the room of his idols, For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us; the LORD has abandoned the land.’”

13 He said to me, “You will see even greater disgusting things that they are doing.”

Women Weeping for Tammuz

14 Then He brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD, and there sat women weeping for Tammuz.

15 He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man, You will see even greater disgusting things than these.”

Sun Worship in the Temple

16 Then He brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD, and right there at the entrance of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men. Their backs were turned toward the temple of the LORD and their faces were toward the east, and they were bowing down to the sun in the east.

17 He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man, Is it too small a thing for the house of Judah to commit the disgusting acts they are doing here, that they also fill the land with violence and keep provoking Me to anger, Look at them putting the branch to their nose.

18 Therefore I will also deal in fury. My eye will not spare, and I will show no pity. Even though they shout loudly in My ears, I will not listen to them.”