< Ezekiel 8 >

1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, and the ancients of Juda sat before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me.
And it came to pass, in the sixth year in the sixth month, on the fifth of the month, I being seated in my house, and the elders of Judah being seated before me, then fell upon me there the hand of My Lord Yahweh.
2 And 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 the appearance of amber.
So I looked, and lo! a likeness as the appearance of a man, from the appearance of his loins and downward fire, and from his loins and upwards as an appearance of shining, as the look of amber,
3 And the likeness of a hand was put forth and took me by a lock of my head: and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the vision of God into Jerusalem, near the inner gate, that looked toward the north, where was set the idol of jealousy to provoke to jealousy.
Then put he forth the similitude of a hand, and took me by the forelock of my head, —and the Spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heavens and brought me to Jerusalem in the visions of God into the opening of the inner gate that looketh toward the north, where was the seat of the Statue of Jealousy. that provoketh to jealousy;
4 And behold the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision which I had seen in the plain.
and lo! there, the glory of the God of Israel, like the appearance which I had seen in the valley.
5 And he said to me: Son of man, lift up thy eyes towards the way of the north. And I lifted up my eyes towards the way of the north: and behold on the north side of the gate of the altar the idol of jealousy in the very entry.
Then said he unto me, Son of man Lift up. I pray thee thine eyes, the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and lo! on the north by the gate of the altar, this Statue of Jealousy, in the entrance.
6 And he said to me: Son of man, dost thou see, thinkest thou, what these are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should depart far off from my sanctuary? and turn thee yet again and thou shalt see greater abominations.
Then said he unto me, Son of man Canst thou see what they are doing, —the great abominations which the house of Israel are committing here, that I should go faraway from my sanctuary? Howbeit yet again, shalt thou see great abominations.
7 And he brought me in to the door of the court: and I saw, and behold a hole in the wall.
So he brought me into the opening of the court, —and I looked, and lo! a single hole in the wall.
8 And he said to me: Son of man, dig in the wall. And when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.
Then said he unto me Son of man Break I pray thee through the wall. So I broke through the wall, and lo! a single opening.
9 And he said to me: Go in, and see the wicked abominations which they commit here.
Then said he unto me, — Go in, and see the wicked abominations. which they are committing here.
10 And I went in and saw, and behold every form of creeping things, and of living creatures, the abomination, and all the idols of the house of Israel, were painted on the wall all round about.
So I went in. and looked, and lo! every similitude of creeping thing, and detestable beast, and all the manufactured gods of the house of Israel, - portrayed upon the wall round about on every side;
11 And seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and Jezonias the son of Saaphan stood in the midst of them, that stood before the pictures: and every one had a censer in his hand: and a cloud of smoke went up from the incense.
and seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan, who stood in their midst were standing before them, even every man with his censer in his hand, —and the fragrance of the cloud of incense ascending.
12 And he said to me: Surely thou seest. O son of man, what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every one in private in his chamber: for they say: The Lord seeth us not, the Lord hath forsaken the earth.
Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen Son of man what the elders of the house of Israel, are doing in the dark, every man in his image-chambers? for they are saying— Yahweh doth not see us! Yahweh hath forsaken the land!
13 And he said to me: If thou turn thee again, thou shalt see greater abominations which these commit.
Then said he unto me, — Yet again, shalt thou see great abominations, which they are committing.
14 And he brought me in by the door of the gate of the Lord’s house, which looked to the north: and behold women sat there mourning for Adonis.
So he brought me into the opening of the gate of the house of Yahweh, which was toward the north, —and Lo! there, women sitting, weeping for Tammuz.
15 And he said to me: Surely thou hast seen, O son of man: but turn thee again: and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
Then said he unto me Hast thou seen O son of man? Yet again, shalt thou see greater abominations than these.
16 And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the Lord: and behold at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men having their backs towards the temple of the Lord, and their faces to the east: and they adored towards the rising of the sun.
So he brought me into the inner court of the house of Yahweh, and lo! at the opening of the temple of Yahweh, between the porch and the altar, about twenty-five men, —their backs towards the temple of Yahweh and their faces eastward, and they were bowing down eastward unto the Sun.
17 And he said to me: Surely thou hast seen, O son of man: is this a light thing to the house of Juda, that they should commit these abominations which they have committed here: because they have filled the land with iniquity, and have turned to provoke me to anger? and behold they put a branch to their nose.
Then said he unto me Hast thou seen O son of man? Is it too small a thing for the house of Judah, to be committing the abominations which they have committed here, —that they have filled the land with violence and have again provoked me to anger and there they are! putting the branch to my nose.
18 Therefore I also will deal with them in my wrath: my eye shall not spare them, neither will I shew mercy: and when they shall cry to my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.
Therefore even I, will act with indignation, Mine eye shall not shield. Neither will I pity, — Though they have cried in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.

< Ezekiel 8 >