Ezekiel 8

1 In the sixth [specific, appointed] year, on the fifth [precise, designated] day of the sixth [ordained, established] month, I [the prophet, Ezekiel] was sitting [dwelling, abiding] in my house [dwelling place, home], and the elders [respected, mature leaders] of Judah [the tribe, the people] were sitting [gathered, assembled] before me; and there [in that place, at that time] the hand [power, authority] of the Lord [Adonai, sovereign God] GOD [Yehovah] fell [came, rested] upon me [on the prophet, in a prophetic experience]. word study 2 Then I looked [beheld, gazed] and saw a figure [likeness, resemblance] like that of a man [a human being, a male]. From His waist [loins, the middle of His body] down His appearance was like [resembled, was similar to] fire [burning, flame], and from His waist [loins, the middle of His body] up He was as bright [shining, radiant] as the gleam [brilliance, luster] of amber [a shiny metal]. word study 3 He stretched out what looked like a hand [a visible manifestation of divine power] and took me by the hair [a lock, a tassel] of my head. Then the Spirit [the breath of life, the divine wind] lifted me up between [in the space separating] earth [the land, the physical realm] and heaven [the sky, the spiritual realm] and carried me in visions [prophetic revelations, divine glimpses] of God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] to Jerusalem [the city of peace, the holy city], to the entrance [the doorway, the gate] of the north gate [facing towards the north] of the inner court [the inner sanctuary, the holy place], where the idol [a statue, a false god] that provokes jealousy [stirs up envy, arouses passion] was seated [had taken its place, was residing]. word study 4 And there [behold, look] I saw the glory [great honor, splendor] of the God [Elohim, the supreme One] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, and his descendants], like [according to, similar to] the vision [appearance, sight] I had seen in the plain [valley, low area of land]. word study 5 “Son of man [human, a son of Adam],” He said to me, “now lift up [raise, elevate] your eyes [the windows of the soul] to the north [toward the direction of Zaphon].” So I lifted up my eyes to the north, and in the entrance [at the gate, the entry point] north of the Altar Gate [the gate of the sacrificial altar] I saw this idol [image, statue] of jealousy [intense envy, passionate zeal]. word study 6 “Son of man [human, mortal],” He said to me, “do you see [are you aware, do you perceive] what they are doing [committing, practicing]—the great [serious, severe] abominations [detestable things, idolatries] that the house of Israel [God’s chosen people] is committing [practicing, perpetuating]—to drive Me far from My sanctuary [holy place, temple]? Yet you will see [behold, witness] even greater [more severe, extreme] abominations [disgusting things, sins].” word study 7 Then He brought me to the entrance [door, gateway] to the court [open space, courtyard], and I looked [saw, gazed] and saw [behold, observed] a hole [opening, cavity] in the wall [barrier, partition]. word study 8 “Son [descendant, human being] of man [Adam, the first human],” He told me, “dig [force a passage, make a hole] through the wall [barrier, partition].” So I dug [made a hole, excavated] through the wall [obstruction, divider] and discovered [saw, found] a doorway [entrance, opening]. word study 9 Then He said to me, “Go [enter, come] in and see [behold, look upon] the wicked [evil, morally bad] abominations [detestable things, idolatrous practices] they [specifically, the people] are committing [doing, practicing] here [in this place, at this location].” word study 10 So I went in [through the doorway, entered] and looked [saw, gazed], and engraved [carved, portrayed] all around [surrounding, encompassing] the wall [the barrier, the partition] was every kind [all forms, every type] of crawling creature [reptiles, small moving animals] and detestable [abominable, loathsome] beast [animal, living being], along with [together with, in addition to] all the idols [images, objects of worship] of the house [family, household] of Israel [God’s chosen people, Jacob’s descendants]. word study 11 Before them stood seventy [a large number, numerous] elders [respected leaders, men of authority] of the house [family, community] of Israel, with Jaazaniah [Jehovah hears, a leader] son of Shaphan [a rock badger, a type of animal] standing among them. Each had a censer [a vessel for burning incense, a container] in his hand, and a fragrant [pleasant, sweet-smelling] cloud of incense [a pleasing aroma] was rising [going up, ascending]. word study 12 “Son of man [human, mortal, a son of Adam],” He said to me, “do you see [perceive, have insight into] what the elders [respected leaders, ancients] of the house of Israel [God’s chosen people] are doing in the darkness [secretly, without light], each at the shrine [chamber, private room] of his own idol [carved image, false god]? For they are saying, ‘The LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] does not see [is not aware of, has forsaken] us; the LORD [Yehovah, the sovereign God] has forsaken [abandoned, left] the land [earth, territory].’” word study 13 Again, He told me, “You will see [turn and behold, again] them committing [doing, practicing] even greater [more severe, intense] abominations [detestable things, idolatries].” word study 14 Then He brought me to the entrance [doorway, gate] of the north [Zaphon, towards the northern direction] gate of the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], and I saw women [females, wives] sitting [dwelling, remaining] there, weeping [crying, mourning] for Tammuz [the pagan deity, a false god]. word study 15 “Son [descendant, human] of man [Adam],” He said to me, “do you see [have you looked, perceived] this? Yet you will see [behold, look upon] even greater [more severe, intense] abominations [detestable things, idolatries] than these [the ones you have seen].” word study 16 So He brought me to the inner [interior, most sacred] court of the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of Israel], and there at the entrance [doorway, threshold] to the temple [large public building, place of worship] of the LORD, between [in the space separating] the portico [covered area, vestibule] and the altar [place of sacrifice, offerings], were about twenty-five men with their backs [rear side, posterior] to the temple of the LORD and their faces [presence, countenance] toward the east [front, direction of sunrise]; and they were bowing [prostrating, worshiping] to the east in worship of the sun [celestial body]. word study 17 “Son of man [human, a mortal],” He said to me, “do you see [perceive, behold] this? Is it not enough [a light thing, insignificant] for the house [family, descendants] of Judah to commit [practice, carry out] the abominations [detestable things, idolatries] they are practicing [doing, making] here, that they must also fill [make full, complete] the land [country, territory] with violence [cruelty, injustice] and continually [repeatedly, always] provoke [anger, irritate] Me to anger [wrath, indignation]? Look [behold, see], they are even putting [sending, extending] the branch [small twig] to their nose [face, person]! word study 18 Therefore I [also, even] will respond with [intense, burning] wrath [rage, fury]. I will not look on them with [tender, loving] pity [compassion, mercy], nor will I [show mercy, have compassion] spare them. Although they shout [cry out, call loudly] loudly in My ears [with a loud voice], I will not [refuse to, fail to] listen to them [hear their cry].” word study