Chapter 8

And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, [as] I sat⁶ in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat⁶ before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell⁴ there upon me.

Then I beheld,⁴ and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.

And he put forth⁴ the form of an hand, and took⁴ me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up⁴ between the earth and the heaven, and brought⁵⁵ me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh⁶ toward the north; where [was] the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.⁵⁶

And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel [was] there, according to the vision that I saw¹ in the plain.

Then said⁴ he unto me, Son of man, lift up³ thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up⁴ mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.

He said⁴ furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest⁶ thou what they do?⁶ [even] the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth⁶ here, that I should go far off² from my sanctuary? but turn⁴ thee yet again, [and] thou shalt see⁴ greater abominations.

And he brought⁵⁵ me to the door of the court; and when I looked,⁴ behold a hole in the wall.

Then said⁴ he unto me, Son of man, dig³ now in the wall: and when I had digged⁴ in the wall, behold a door.

And he said⁴ unto me, Go in,³ and behold³ the wicked abominations that they do⁶ here.

So I went in⁴ and saw;⁴ and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed³⁰ upon the wall round about. ⁵⁴³⁹

And there stood⁶ before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood⁶ Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.⁶

Then said⁴ he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen¹ what the ancients of the house of Israel do⁶ in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say,⁶ The LORD seeth⁶ us not; the LORD hath forsaken¹ the earth.

He said⁴ also unto me, Turn⁴ thee yet again, [and] thou shalt see⁴ greater abominations that they do.⁶

Then he brought⁵⁵ me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which [was] toward the north; and, behold, there sat⁶ women weeping¹⁸ for Tammuz.

Then said⁴ he unto me, Hast thou seen¹ [this], O son of man? turn⁴ thee yet again, [and] thou shalt see⁴ greater abominations than these.

And he brought⁵⁵ me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, [were] about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped¹⁰² the sun toward the east.

Then he said⁴ unto me, Hast thou seen¹ [this], O son of man? Is it a light thing⁸ to the house of Judah that they commit² the abominations which they commit¹ here? for they have filled¹ the land with violence, and have returned⁴ to provoke me to anger:⁵³ and, lo, they put⁶ the branch to their nose.

Therefore will I also deal⁴ in fury: mine eye shall not spare,⁴ neither will I have pity:⁴ and though they cry¹ in mine ears with a loud voice, [yet] will I not hear⁴ them.