Ezekiel 8

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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 mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.
8:2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
8:3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
8:4 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.
8:5 Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.
8:6 He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.
8:7 And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.
8:8 Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.
8:9 And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.
8:10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.
8:11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.
8:12 Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, the LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.
8:13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.
8:14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
8:15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
8:16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
8:17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.
8:18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.


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Everything King James Bible:Ezekiel

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: Ezekiel
Book: Ezekiel
Chapter: 8

Overview:
The idolatries committed By the Jewish rulers. (1-6) The
superstitions to which the Jews were then devoted, the Egyptian.
(7-12) The Phoenician. (13,14) The Persian. (15,16) The
heinousness of their Sin. (17,18)

1-6 The glorious personage Ezekiel beheld in Vision, seemed to
take Hold upon him, and he was conveyed in Spirit to Jerusalem.
There, in the inner Court of the Temple, was prepared a place
for some base Idol. The whole was presented in Vision to the
Prophet. If it should please God to give any Man a clear view of
his Glory and majesty, and of all the abominations committing in
any one City, he would then admit the Justice of the severest
punishments God should inflict thereon.

7-12 A secret place was, as it were, opened, where the Prophet
saw creatures painted On the walls, and a number of the elders
of Israel worshipped before them. No superiority in worldly
matters will preserve men from Lust, or idolatries, when they
are left to their own deceitful hearts; and those who are soon
wearied in the service of God, often grudge No toil nor expense
when following their superstitions. When hypocrites screen
themselves behind the Wall of an outward profession, there is
some hole or other left in the Wall, something that betrays them
to those who look diligently. There is a great Deal of secret
wickedness in the world. They think themselves out of God's
sight. But those are ripe indeed for ruin, who lay the blame of
their sins upon the Lord.

13-18 The yearly lamenting for Tammuz was attended with
infamous practices; and the worshippers of the Sun here
described, are supposed to have been priests. The Lord appeals
to the Prophet concerning the heinousness of the crime; "and lo,
they Put the Branch to their nose," denoting some Custom used By
idolaters in honour of the idols they served. The more we
examine human nature and our own hearts, the more abominations
we shall discover; and the longer the believer searches himself,
the more he will humble himself before God, and the more will he
value the Fountain open for Sin, and seek to wash therein.