Azaky'AL (Ezekiel) — 8

Idolatry in the Temple

1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house with the elders of Yahudah sitting before me, that the hand of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Tsaba'ut fell upon me there.

2 I saw a figure that appeared to be a man. From what appeared to be his waist down, he looked like a burning flame. From the waist up he looked like gleaming amber. 

3 He reached out what seemed to be a hand and took me by the hair. Then the RUACH lifted me up into the sky and transported me to Yahushalam in a vision from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH I was taken to the north gate of the inner courtyard of the Temple, where there is a large idol that has made 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH very jealous. 

4 Suddenly, the Kabad of the  𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL was there, just as I had seen it before in the valley.

5 Then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and there to the north, beside the entrance to the gate near the altar, stood the idol that had made 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH so jealous.

6 “Son of man,” He said, “do you see what they are doing? Do you see the detestable sins the people of Yashar'AL are committing to drive me from my Temple? But come, and you will see even more detestable sins than these!” 

7 Then he brought me to the door of the Temple courtyard, where I could see a hole in the wall. 

8 He said to me, “Now, son of man, dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and found a hidden doorway.

9 “Go in,” He said, “and see the wicked and detestable sins they are committing in there!” 

10 So I went in and saw the walls covered with engravings of all kinds of crawling animals and detestable creatures. I also saw the various idols worshiped by the people of Yashar'AL. 

11 Seventy leaders of Yashar'AL were standing there with Yaazanyah son of Shaphan in the center. Each of them held an incense burner, from which a cloud of incense rose above their heads.

12 Then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the leaders of Yashar'AL are doing with their idols in dark rooms? They are saying, ‘𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH doesn’t see us; he has deserted our land!’” 

13 Then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH added, “Come, and I will show you even more detestable sins than these!”

14 He brought me to the north gate of the temple of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, and some women were sitting there, weeping for the idol deity Tammuz. 

15 “Have you seen this?” he asked. “But I will show you even more detestable sins than these!”

16 Then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH brought me into the inner courtyard of the temple of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, at the entrance to the sanctuary, between the entry room and the bronze altar, there were about twenty-five men with their backs to the sanctuary of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, They were facing east, bowing low to the ground, worshiping the sun!

17 “Have you seen this, son of man?”  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH asked. “Is it nothing to the people of Yahudah that they commit these detestable sins, leading the whole nation into violence, thumbing their noses at me, and provoking My anger? 

18 Therefore, I will respond in fury. I will neither pity nor spare them, and though they cry for mercy, I will not listen.”