Ezekiel 8:1-8

1 It happened in the sixth year, in the sixth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, as I sat in my house, and the Zakenim of Yehudah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there on me.

2 Then I saw, and, behold, a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of his loins and downward, fire; and from his loins and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal.

3 He put forth the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between eretz and the sky, and brought me in the visions of God to Yerushalayim, to the door of the gate of the inner [court] that looks toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy.

4 Behold, the glory of the God of Yisra'el was there, according to the appearance that I saw in the plain.

5 Then said he to me, Son of man, lift up your eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up my eyes the way toward the north, and see, northward of the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.

6 He said to me, Son of man, see you what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Yisra'el do commit here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but you shall again see yet other great abominations.

7 He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall.

8 Then said he to me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had dug in the wall, behold, a door.

Ezekiel 8:1-8 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.