Ezekiel 8

1 So it came about in the sixth year and the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord Yahweh again fell upon me there.

And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the fifth month, on the fifth [day] of the month, I was sitting in the house, and the elders of Juda were sitting before me: and the hand of the Lord came upon me.

2 So I looked, and behold, there was a likeness with the appearance of a man. From the appearance of his hips downward there was fire. And from his hips upward there was the appearance of something shining, like glowing metal.

And I looked, and, behold, the likeness of a man: from his loins and downwards [there was] fire, and from his loins upwards [there was] as the appearance of amber.

3 Then he reached out the form of a hand and took me by the hair of my head; the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and in visions from God, he brought me to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the inner northern gate, where the idol that provokes great jealousy was standing.

And he stretched forth the likeness of a hand, and took me by the crown of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between the earth and sky, and brought me to Jerusalem in a vision of God, to the porch of the gate that looks to the north, where was the pillar of the Purchaser.

4 Then behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision I had seen on the plain.

And, behold, the glory of the Lord God of Israel was there, according to the vision which I saw in the plain.

5 Then he said to me, “Son of man, lift up your eyes to the north.” So I lifted up my eyes to the north, and to the north of the gate leading to the altar, there in the entrance, was the idol of jealousy.

And he said to me, Son of man, lift up your eyes toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes toward the north, and, behold, [I looked] from the north toward the eastern gate.

6 So he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing? These are great abominations that the house of Israel is doing here to make me go far from my own sanctuary. But you will turn and see even greater abominations.”

And he said to me, Son of man, have you seen what these do? They commit great abominations here so that I should keep away from my sanctuary: and you shall see yet greater iniquities.

7 Then he brought me to the doorway of the courtyard, and I looked, and there was a hole in the wall.

And he brought me to the porch of the court.

8 He said to me, “Son of man, dig into this wall.” So I dug into the wall, and there was a door.

And he said to me, Son of man, dig: so I dug, and behold a door.

9 Then he said to me, “Go and see the wicked abominations that they are doing here.”

And he said to me, Go in, and behold the iniquities which they practise here.

10 So I went in and looked, and behold! There was every form of creeping thing and detestable beast! Every idol of the house of Israel was carved into the wall all around.

So I went in and looked; and saw vain abominations, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon them round about.

11 Seventy elders of the house of Israel were there, and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was standing in their midst. They were standing in front of the images, and each man had his censer in his hand so that the smell of the cloud of incense went up.

And seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, and Jechonias the son of Saphan stood in their presence in the midst of them, and each one held his censer in his hand; and the smoke of the incense went up.

12 He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark? Each one does this in the hidden chamber of his idol, for they say, 'Yahweh does not see us! Yahweh has forsaken the land.'”

And he said to me, You have seen, son of man, what the elders of the house of Israel do, each one of them in their secret chamber: because they have said, The Lord see not; The Lord has forsaken the earth.

13 Then he said to me, “Turn again and see the other great abominations that they are doing.”

And he said to me, You shall see yet greater iniquities which these do.

14 Next he brought me to the entrance of the gate of Yahweh's house that was on the north side, and behold! The women were sitting there mourning for Tammuz.

And he brought me in to the porch of the house of the Lord that looks to the north; and, behold [there were] women sitting there lamenting for Thammuz.

15 So he said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Turn again and see even greater abominations than these.”

And he said to me, Son of man, you have seen; but you shall yet see [evil] practices greater then these.

16 He brought me into the inner courtyard of Yahweh's house, and behold! at the entrance of the temple of Yahweh between the portico and the altar, there were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of Yahweh and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun.

And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the Lord, and at the entrance of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty men, with their back parts toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces [turned] the opposite way; and these were worshipping the sun.

17 He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it a little thing for the house of Judah to do these abominations that they are doing here? For they have filled the land with violence and they have turned again to provoke me to anger, putting the branch to their noses.

And he said to me, Son of man, you have seen this. [Is it] a little thing to the house of Juda to practise the iniquities which they have practised here? for they have filled the land with iniquity: and, behold, these are as scorners.

18 So I will also act among them; my eye will not have compassion, and I will not spare them. Though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.”

Therefore will I deal with them in wrath: mine eye shall not spare, nor will I have any mercy.