Ezekiel 8:5-18

Pagan Practices in the Temple

5 The Lord said to me, "Son of man, look toward the north." I looked to the north, and there was this offensive statue north of the altar gate, at the entrance.

6 He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel is committing here, so that I must depart from My sanctuary? You will see even greater abominations."

7 Then He brought me to the entrance of the court, 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 the wall, and there was a doorway.

9 He said to me, "Go in and see the terrible abominations they are committing here."

10 I went in and looked, and there engraved all around the wall was every form of detestable thing, crawling creatures and beasts, as well as all the idols of the house of Israel.^[a]

11 Seventy elders from the house of Israel were standing before them, with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan^[b] standing among them. Each had an incense burner in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense was rising up.

12 Then He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his idol? For they are saying: The Lord does not see us. The Lord has abandoned the land."

13 Again He said to me, "You will see even greater abominations, which they are committing."

14 So He brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the Lord's house, and I saw women sitting there weeping for Tammuz.

15 And He said to me, "Do you see [this], son of man? You will see even greater abominations than these."

16 So He brought me to the inner court of the Lord's house, and there were about 25 men at the entrance of the Lord's temple, between the portico and the altar,^[c] with their backs to the Lord's temple and their faces [turned] to the east. They were bowing to the east in worship of the sun.

17 And He said to me, "Do you see [this], son of man? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and repeatedly provoke Me to anger, even putting the branch to their nose?^[d]

18 Therefore I will respond with wrath. I will not show pity or spare [them]. Though they cry out in My ears with a loud voice, I will not listen to them."

Ezekiel 8:5-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 8

This chapter contains a vision the prophet had of the idolatry of the Jews, which was the cause of their destruction. The time when, place, where, and persons with whom he was, when the hand of the Lord came upon him, are mentioned, Eze 8:1; then follows a description of the divine Person that appeared to him, Eze 8:2; and an account is given how he was in a visionary way brought to Jerusalem, and to the temple, where he saw the glory of the God of Israel, and the idolatry of the people, Eze 8:3,4; which latter was gradually represented to him; first the image of jealousy in the entry at the gate of the altar northward, Eze 8:5; then greater abominations through a hole in the wall, by which he saw their idols, in the form of reptiles and four footed beasts, portrayed on the wall, Eze 8:6-10; next seventy of the ancients of Israel, among whom were one mentioned by name, offering incense to these idols, Eze 8:11,12; after this, greater abominations still are showed him, at the north of the temple, women weeping for Tammuz, Eze 8:13,14; and then again far greater ones, twenty five men, between the porch and the altar, with their backs to the temple, and their face to the east, worshipping the sun, and putting the branch to the nose, Eze 8:15-17; wherefore it is reasoned to deal with them in fury, without any mercy, pity, and compassion, Eze 8:18.

Footnotes

• [a]. Dt 4:16-18
• [b]. 2 Kg 22:3,12; Jr 26:24; 29:3
• [c]. Jl 2:17
• [d]. Possibly a pagan ritual or a euphemism for offensive behavior