Vision of Idolatry in the Temple

1And it cometh to pass, in the sixth year, in the sixth [month], in the fifth of the month, I am sitting in my house, and elders of Judah are sitting before me, and fall on me there doth a hand of the Lord Jehovah, 2and I look, and lo, 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 colour of copper. 3And He putteth forth a form of a hand, and taketh me by a lock of my head, and lift me up doth a spirit between the earth and the heavens, and it bringeth me in to Jerusalem in visions of God, unto the opening of the inner gate that is facing the north, where [is] the seat of the figure of jealousy that is making jealous, 4and lo, there the honour of the God of Israel, as the appearance that I saw in the valley.

5And He saith unto me, ‘Son of man, lift up, I pray thee, thine eyes the way of the north.’ And I lift up mine eyes the way of the north, and lo, on the north of the gate of the altar this figure of jealousy, at the entrance. 6And He saith unto me, ‘Son of man, art thou seeing what they are doing? the great abominations that the house of Israel are doing here, to keep far off from My sanctuary; and again thou dost turn, thou dost see great abominations.’

7And He bringeth me in unto an opening of the court, and I look, and lo, a hole in the wall; 8and He saith unto me, ‘Son of man, dig, I pray thee, through the wall;’ and I dig through the wall, and lo, an opening. 9And He saith to me, ‘Go in, and see the evil abominations that they are doing here.’ 10And I go in, and look, and lo, every form of creeping thing, and detestable beast — and all the Idols of the house of Israel — graved on the wall, all round about, 11and seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel — and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing in their midst — are standing before them, and each his censer in his hand, and the abundance of the cloud of perfume is going up. 12And He saith unto me, ‘Hast thou seen, son of man, that which elders of the house of Israel are doing in darkness, each in the inner chambers of his imagery, for they are saying, Jehovah is not seeing us, Jehovah hath forsaken the land?’ 13And He saith unto me, ‘Again thou dost turn, thou dost see great abominations that they are doing.’

14And He bringeth me in unto the opening of the gate of the house of Jehovah that [is] at the north, and lo, there the women are sitting weeping for Tammuz. 15And He saith unto me, ‘Hast thou seen, son of man? again thou dost turn, thou dost see greater abominations than these.’

16And He bringeth me in unto the inner court of the house of Jehovah, and lo, at the opening of the temple of Jehovah, between the porch and the altar, about twenty-five men, their backs toward the temple of Jehovah, and their faces eastward, and they are bowing themselves eastward to the sun. 17And He saith unto me, ‘Hast thou seen, son of man? hath it been a light thing to the house of Judah to do the abomination that they have done here, that they have filled the land with violence, and turn back to provoke Me to anger? and lo, they are putting forth the branch unto their nose! 18And I also deal in fury, Mine eye doth not pity, nor do I spare, and they have cried in Mine ears — a loud voice — and I do not hear them.’