Ezekiel Chapter 8 — Visions of Abominations in the Temple
Ezekiel is transported in a vision to the Temple in Jerusalem, where he witnesses various forms of secret and public idolatry practiced by the people and their leaders.
1In the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, the Lord GOD’s hand fell on me there.
2Then I saw, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of fire—from the appearance of his waist and downward, fire, and from his waist and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal.
3He stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and the sky, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the gate of the inner court that looks toward the north, where there was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy.
4Behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the appearance that I saw in the plain.
5Then he said to me, “Son of man, lift up your eyes now the way toward the north.”
6He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they do? Even the great abominations that the house of Israel commit here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? But you will again see yet other great abominations.”
7He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall.
8Then he said to me, “Son of man, dig now in the wall.”
9He said to me, “Go in, and see the wicked abominations that they do here.”
10So I went in and looked, and saw every form of creeping things, abominable animals, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed around on the wall.
11Seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel stood before them. In the middle of them Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan stood, every man with his censer in his hand; and the smell of the cloud of incense went up.
12Then he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his rooms of imagery? For they say, ‘The LORD doesn’t see us. The LORD has forsaken the land.’ ”
13He said also to me, “You will again see more of the great abominations which they do.”
14Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’s house which was toward the north; and I saw the women sit there weeping for Tammuz.
15Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, son of man? You will again see yet greater abominations than these.”
16He brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house; and I saw at the door of the LORD’s temple, between the porch and the altar, there were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the LORD’s temple and their faces toward the east. They were worshiping the sun toward the east.
17Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, 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 turned again to provoke me to anger. Behold, they put the branch to their nose.
18Therefore I will also deal in wrath. My eye won’t spare, neither will I have pity. Though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them.”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Ezekiel 8:6
“He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they do? Even the great abominations that the house of Israel commit here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? But you will again see yet other great abominations.””
This verse establishes the theme of the chapter, explaining that the people's actions are driving God away from His own sanctuary.
Ezekiel 8:12
“Then he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his rooms of imagery? For they say, ‘The LORD doesn’t see us. The LORD has forsaken the land.’ ””
It reveals the secret nature of the leaders' idolatry and their belief that God is no longer watching or present.
Ezekiel 8:16
“He brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house; and I saw at the door of the LORD’s temple, between the porch and the altar, there were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the LORD’s temple and their faces toward the east. They were worshiping the sun toward the east.”
The physical posture of the men turning their backs to the Temple represents a total rejection of the Lord in favor of nature worship.
Chapter Summary
In Ezekiel 8, the prophet is sitting with the elders of Judah when he receives a vision from God. A divine figure, described with the appearance of fire and glowing metal, transports Ezekiel by a lock of his hair to the Temple in Jerusalem. Once there, God shows Ezekiel four distinct abominations that provoke His jealousy. First, Ezekiel sees an idolatrous image at the north gate. Second, he is shown a hidden chamber where seventy elders of Israel are worshiping images of creeping things and idols in the dark. Third, he observes women at the north gate weeping for the deity Tammuz. Finally, in the inner court, he sees twenty-five men with their backs to the Temple, worshiping the sun toward the east. Because of these acts and the violence in the land, God declares He will deal with the people in wrath and will not show pity despite their cries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ezekiel witnesses four specific acts: an idolatrous 'image of jealousy' at the gate, elders worshiping idols in secret rooms, women mourning for the god Tammuz, and men worshiping the sun in the Temple court.
Tammuz was a Mesopotamian deity associated with food and vegetation. The women weeping for him were participating in a ritual mourning for his symbolic death, which was a pagan practice forbidden in Israel.
The text does not identify the specific idol, but it is called the 'image of jealousy' because it was placed in God's Temple, directly provoking His holy jealousy and rightful anger as the only true God of Israel.
The mention of violence indicates that the people's religious corruption and idolatry were directly linked to social injustice and the breakdown of moral law across the land of Judah.
Study Note
The date provided in the first verse indicates this vision occurred approximately fourteen months after Ezekiel's initial calling as a prophet.
Related Chapters
Ezekiel Chapter 1
Both chapters contain vivid descriptions of the appearance of God's glory in a vision.
Ezekiel Chapter 10
This chapter continues the visionary sequence where the glory of the Lord finally departs from the Temple.
Exodus Chapter 20
The idolatry witnessed by Ezekiel is a direct violation of the Ten Commandments given at Sinai.
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