Ezekiel 8:10 - Prayer Tents

Idolatry in Jerusalem

8On the fifth day of the sixth month of the sixth year of our exile, the leaders of the exiles from Judah were sitting in my house with me. Suddenly the power of the Sovereign LORD came on me.H8345H8141H8345H2568H2320H3427H1004H2205H3063H3427H6440H3027H136H3069H5307

2I looked up and saw a vision of a fiery human form. From the waist down his body looked like fire, and from the waist up he was shining like polished bronze.H7200H1823H4758H784H4758H4975H4295H784H4975H4605H4758H2096H5869H2830

3He reached out what seemed to be a hand and grabbed me by the hair. Then in this vision God's spirit lifted me high in the air and took me to Jerusalem. He took me to the inner entrance of the north gate of the Temple, where there was an idol that was an outrage to God.H7971H8403H3027H3947H6734H7218H7307H5375H776H8064H935H4759H430H3389H6607H6442H8179H6437H6828H4186H5566H7068H7069

4There I saw the dazzling light that shows the presence of Israel's God, just as I had seen it when I was by the Chebar River.H3519H430H3478H4758H7200H1237

5God said to me, "Mortal man, look toward the north." I looked, and there near the altar by the entrance of the gateway I saw the idol that was an outrage to God.H559H1121H120H5375H5869H1870H6828H5375H5869H1870H6828H6828H8179H4196H5566H7068H872

6God said to me, "Mortal man, do you see what is happening? Look at the disgusting things the people of Israel are doing here, driving me farther and farther away from my holy place. You will see even more disgraceful things than this."H559H1121H120H7200H6213H1419H8441H1004H3478H6213H7368H4720H7725H7200H1419H8441

7He took me to the entrance of the outer courtyard and showed me a hole in the wall.H935H6607H2691H7200H259H2356H7023

8He said, "Mortal man, break through the wall here." I broke through it and found a door.H559H1121H120H2864H7023H2864H7023H259H6607

9He told me, "Go in and look at the evil, disgusting things they are doing there."H559H935H7200H7451H8441H6213

10So I went in and looked. The walls were covered with drawings of snakes and other unclean animals, and of the other things which the Israelites were worshiping.H935H7200H8403H7431H8263H929H1544H1004H3478H2707H7023H5439

11Seventy Israelite leaders were there, including Jaazaniah son of Shaphan. Each one was holding an incense burner, and smoke was rising from the incense.H5975H6440H7657H376H2205H1004H3478H8432H5975H2970H1121H8227H376H4730H3027H6282H6051H7004H5927

12God asked me, "Mortal man, do you see what the Israelite leaders are doing in secret? They are all worshiping in a room full of images. Their excuse is: 'The LORD doesn't see us! He has abandoned the country.' "H559H1121H120H7200H2205H1004H3478H6213H2822H376H2315H4906H559H3068H7200H3068H5800H776

13Then the LORD said to me, "You are going to see them do even more disgusting things than that."H559H7725H7200H1419H8441H6213

14So he took me to the north gate of the Temple and showed me women weeping over the death of the god Tammuz.H935H6607H8179H3068H1004H6828H3427H802H1058H8542

15He asked, "Mortal man, do you see that? You will see even more disgusting things."H559H7200H1121H120H7725H7200H1419H8441

16So he took me to the inner courtyard of the Temple. There near the entrance of the sanctuary, between the altar and the porch, were about twenty-five men. They had turned their backs to the sanctuary and were bowing low toward the east, worshiping the rising sun.H935H6442H2691H3068H1004H6607H1964H3068H197H4196H2568H6242H376H268H1964H3068H6440H6924H7812H8121H6924

17The LORD said to me, "Mortal man, do you see that? These people of Judah are not satisfied with merely doing all the disgusting things you have seen here and with spreading violence throughout the country. No, they must come and do them right here in the Temple and make me even more angry. Look how they insult me in the most offensive way possible!H559H7200H1121H120H7043H1004H3063H6213H8441H6213H4390H776H2555H7725H3707H7971H2156H639

18They will feel all the force of my anger. I will not spare them or show them any mercy. They will shout prayers to me as loud as they can, but I will not listen to them."H6213H2534H5869H2347H2550H7121H241H1419H6963H8085