Abominations in the Temple
1
1In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, 2as I sat in my house, with 3the elders of Judah sitting before me, 4the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there.
2
Then I looked, and behold, 5a form that had the appearance of a man.a6Below what appeared to be his waist was fire, and above his waist was something like the appearance of brightness, like 7gleaming metal.b
3
He 8put out the form of a hand and took me by a lock of my head, and the Spirit lifted me up 9between earth and heaven and 10brought me in 11visions of God to Jerusalem, 12to the entrance of the gateway of the inner court that faces north, 13where was the seat of the 14image of jealousy, 15which provokes to jealousy.
4
And behold, 16the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I saw 17in the valley.
5
Then he said to me, 18"Son of man, lift up your eyes now toward the north." So I lifted up my eyes toward the north, and behold, north of 19the altar gate, in the entrance, was this 20image of jealousy.
6
And he said to me, "Son of man, 21do you see what they are doing, 22the great abominations that the house of Israel are committing here, 23to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see still greater abominations."
7
And he brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, there was a hole in the wall.
8
Then he said to me, "Son of man, 24dig in the wall." So I dug in the wall, and behold, there was an entrance.
10
So I went in and saw. And there, 26engraved on the wall all around, was 27every form of 28creeping things and loathsome beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel.
11
And before them stood 29seventy men of 30the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of 31Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and 32the smoke of the cloud of incense went up.
12
Then he said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing 33in the dark, each 34in his room of pictures? For they say, 35'The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.'"
14
Then he brought me to 37the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD, and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
15
Then he said to me, "Have you seen this, O 38son of man? 39You will see still greater abominations than these."
16
And he brought me into 40the inner court of the house of the LORD. And behold, at the entrance of the temple of the LORD, 41between the 42porch and 43the altar, were about twenty-five men, 44with their backs to the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east, worshiping 45the sun toward the east.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)