The Vision of Idolatry in the Temple

1  וַיְהִ֣י׀ (And it came to pass) בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה (in the year), הַשִּׁשִּׁ֗ית (sixth) בַּשִּׁשִּׁי֙ (in the sixth month) בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֣ה (on five) לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ (of the month), אֲנִי֙ (I) יוֹשֵׁ֣ב (was sitting) בְּבֵיתִ֔י (in my house), וְזִקְנֵ֥י (and the elders) יְהוּדָ֖ה (of Judah) יוֹשְׁבִ֣ים (were sitting) לְפָנָ֑י (before me) וַתִּפֹּ֤ל (and fell) עָלַי֙ (upon me) שָׁ֔ם (there) יַ֖ד (the hand) אֲדֹנָ֥י (of the Lord) יְהֹוִֽה׃ (YHWH).

2  וָאֶרְאֶ֗ה (And I looked), וְהִנֵּ֤ה (and behold) דְמוּת֙ (a likeness) כְּמַרְאֵה־ (as the appearance) אֵ֔שׁ (of fire); מִמַּרְאֵ֥ה (from the appearance) מָתְנָ֛יו (of His loins) וּלְמַ֖טָּה (and downward), אֵ֑שׁ (was fire); וּמִמָּתְנָ֣יו (and from His loins) וּלְמַ֔עְלָה (and above), כְּמַרְאֵה־ (was like the appearance) זֹ֖הַר (of brightness), כְּעֵ֥ין (like the color) הַחַשְׁמַֽלָה׃ (of amber). 3  וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ (And He sent out) תַּבְנִ֣ית (the form) יָ֔ד (of a hand), וַיִּקָּחֵ֖נִי (and He took me) בְּצִיצִ֣ת (by a lock) רֹאשִׁ֑י (of my hair); וַתִּשָּׂ֣א (and lifted up) אֹתִ֣י (me) ר֣וּחַ׀ (the Spirit) בֵּֽין־ (between) הָאָ֣רֶץ (the earth) וּבֵ֣ין (and between) הַשָּׁמַ֡יִם (the heavens), וַתָּבֵא֩ (and brought) אֹתִ֨י (me) יְרוּשָׁלְַ֜מָה (to Jerusalem), בְּמַרְא֣וֹת (in visions) אֱלֹהִ֗ים (of God) אֶל־ (to) פֶּ֜תַח (the door) שַׁ֤עַר (of the gate of) הַפְּנִימִית֙ (the inner) הַפּוֹנֶ֣ה (facing) צָפ֔וֹנָה (north); אֲשֶׁר־ (where was) שָׁ֣ם (-) מוֹשַׁ֔ב (the seat) סֵ֖מֶל (of the image) הַקִּנְאָ֥ה (of jealousy), הַמַּקְנֶֽה׃ (which provokes to jealousy).

4  וְהִ֨נֵּה־ (And behold), שָׁ֔ם (there was), כְּב֖וֹד (the glory) אֱלֹהֵ֣י (of the God) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel) כַּמַּרְאֶ֕ה (according to the vision) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) רָאִ֖יתִי (I had seen) בַּבִּקְעָֽה׃ (in the plain). 5  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And He said) אֵלַ֔י (to me) בֶּן־ (Son) אָדָ֕ם (of man), שָׂא־ (lift up) נָ֥א (now) עֵינֶ֖יךָ (your eyes) דֶּ֣רֶךְ (to the way) צָפ֑וֹנָה (northward).

וָאֶשָּׂ֤א (And I lifted) עֵינַי֙ (my eyes) דֶּ֣רֶךְ (to the way) צָפ֔וֹנָה (northward), וְהִנֵּ֤ה (and behold) מִצָּפוֹן֙ (from the north) לְשַׁ֣עַר (of the Gate) הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ (of the Altar) סֵ֛מֶל (image) הַקִּנְאָ֥ה (of the jealousy) הַזֶּ֖ה (was this) בַּבִּאָֽה׃ (in the entrance).

6  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And He said) אֵלַ֔י (to me) בֶּן־ (Son) אָדָ֕ם (of man), הֲרֹאֶ֥ה (are seeing) אַתָּ֖ה (you) מֵהֶם (what) עֹשִׂ֑ים (they are doing)? תּוֹעֵב֨וֹת (The abominations) גְּדֹל֜וֹת (great) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) בֵּֽית־ (the house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל׀ (of Israel) עֹשִׂ֣ים (is doing) פֹּ֗ה (here), לְרָֽחֳקָה֙ (to keep Me far off) מֵעַ֣ל (from) מִקְדָּשִׁ֔י (My sanctuary)? וְעוֹד֙ (And still) תָּשׁ֣וּב (you will turn), תִּרְאֶ֔ה (and you will see) תּוֹעֵב֖וֹת (abominations) גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃ס (greater).

7  וַיָּבֵ֥א (And He brought) אֹתִ֖י (me) אֶל־ (to) פֶּ֣תַח (the door) הֶֽחָצֵ֑ר (of the court); וָאֶרְאֶ֕ה (and I looked), וְהִנֵּ֥ה (and behold) חֹר־ (hole) אֶחָ֖ד (one) בַּקִּֽיר׃ (in the wall).

8  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And He said) אֵלַ֔י (to me) בֶּן־ (Son) אָדָ֖ם (of man), חֲתָר־ (dig) נָ֣א (now) בַקִּ֑יר (into the wall).

וָאֶחְתֹּ֣ר (And I dug) בַּקִּ֔יר (into the wall), וְהִנֵּ֖ה (and behold) פֶּ֥תַח (opening) אֶחָֽד׃ (one).

9  וַיֹּ֖אמֶר (And He said) אֵלָ֑י (to me) בֹּ֤א (Go in), וּרְאֵה֙ (and see) אֶת־ (-) הַתּוֹעֵב֣וֹת (the abominations) הָרָע֔וֹת (evil) אֲשֶׁ֛ר (that) הֵ֥ם (they) עֹשִׂ֖ים (are doing) פֹּֽה׃ (there).

10  וָאָבוֹא֮ (And I went in) וָֽאֶרְאֶה֒ (and saw); וְהִנֵּ֨ה (and behold) כָל־ (every) תַּבְנִ֜ית (manner) רֶ֤מֶשׂ (of creeping thing), וּבְהֵמָה֙ (and beast), שֶׁ֔קֶץ (detestable) וְכָל־ (and all) גִּלּוּלֵ֖י (the idols) בֵּ֣ית (of the house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel), מְחֻקֶּ֥ה (were engraved) עַל־ (on) הַקִּ֖יר (the walls) סָבִ֥יב׀ (round) סָבִֽיב׃ (and round). 11  וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים (And seventy) אִ֣ישׁ (men) מִזִּקְנֵ֣י (from the elders) בֵֽית־ (of the house) יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל (of Israel), וְיַאֲזַנְיָ֨הוּ (and Jaazaniah) בֶן־ (son) שָׁפָ֜ן (of Shaphan), עֹמֵ֤ד (standing) בְּתוֹכָם֙ (in their midst) עֹמְדִ֣ים (standing) לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם (before them) וְאִ֥ישׁ (and each man) מִקְטַרְתּ֖וֹ (his censer) בְּיָד֑וֹ (in his hand); וַעֲתַ֥ר (and the fragrance) עֲנַֽן־ (of a cloud) הַקְּטֹ֖רֶת (of incense) עֹלֶֽה׃ (was rising up).

12  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And He said) אֵלַי֮ (to me) הֲרָאִ֣יתָ (Have you seen) בֶן־ (Son) אָדָם֒ (of man), אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that which) זִקְנֵ֤י (the elders) בֵֽית־ (of the house) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (of Israel) עֹשִׂ֣ים (are doing) בַּחֹ֔שֶׁךְ (in the dark), אִ֖ישׁ (each man) בְּחַדְרֵ֣י (in the inner chambers) מַשְׂכִּית֑וֹ (of his imagery)? כִּ֣י (For) אֹמְרִ֗ים (they say), אֵ֤ין (Not is); יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) רֹאֶ֣ה (seeing) אֹתָ֔נוּ (us) עָזַ֥ב (for has forsaken) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) אֶת־ (-) הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (the land).

13  וַיֹּ֖אמֶר (And He said) אֵלָ֑י (to me) ע֣וֹד (Again) תָּשׁ֥וּב (you will turn) תִּרְאֶ֛ה (and will see) תּוֹעֵב֥וֹת (abominations) גְּדֹל֖וֹת (greater) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) הֵ֥מָּה (they) עֹשִֽׂים׃ (are doing).

14  וַיָּבֵ֣א (And He brought) אֹתִ֗י (me) אֶל־ (to) פֶּ֙תַח֙ (the entrance) שַׁ֣עַר (of the gate) בֵּית־ (of the house) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH) אֲשֶׁ֖ר (that was) אֶל־ (toward) הַצָּפ֑וֹנָה (the north); וְהִנֵּה־ (and behold), שָׁם֙ (there) הַנָּשִׁ֣ים (the women) יֹֽשְׁב֔וֹת (were sitting) מְבַכּ֖וֹת (and weeping) אֶת־ (-) הַתַּמּֽוּז׃ס (for Tammuz).

15  וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (And He said) אֵלַ֖י (to me) הֲרָאִ֣יתָ (Have you seen) בֶן־ (son) אָדָ֑ם (of man)? ע֣וֹד (Again) תָּשׁ֥וּב (you will turn), תִּרְאֶ֛ה (and will see) תּוֹעֵב֥וֹת (abominations) גְּדֹל֖וֹת (greater) מֵאֵֽלֶּה׃ (than these).

16  וַיָּבֵ֣א (And He brought) אֹתִ֗י (me) אֶל־ (into) חֲצַ֣ר (court) בֵּית־ (of the house), יְהוָה֮ (of YHWH) הַפְּנִימִית֒ (inner) וְהִנֵּה־ (and behold), פֶ֜תַח (at the opening) הֵיכַ֣ל (of the temple) יְהוָ֗ה (of YHWH), בֵּ֤ין (between) הָֽאוּלָם֙ (the porch) וּבֵ֣ין (and between) הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ (the altar), כְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים (were about twenty) וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה (and five) אִ֑ישׁ (men), אֲחֹ֨רֵיהֶ֜ם (with their backs) אֶל־ (toward) הֵיכַ֤ל (the temple) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH), וּפְנֵיהֶ֣ם (and with their faces) קֵ֔דְמָה (toward the east); וְהֵ֛מָּה (and they) מִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֥ם (were worshiping) קֵ֖דְמָה (eastward) לַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (to the sun).

17  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And He said) אֵלַי֮ (to me) הֲרָאִ֣יתָ (Have you seen) בֶן־ (son) אָדָם֒ (of man)? הֲנָקֵל֙ (Is it a light thing) לְבֵ֣ית (for the house) יְהוּדָ֔ה (of Judah) מֵעֲשׂ֕וֹת (to do) אֶת־ (-) הַתּוֹעֵב֖וֹת (the abominations) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (which) עָֽשׂוּ־ (they do) פֹ֑ה (here)? כִּֽי־ (That) מָלְא֨וּ (they should fill) אֶת־ (-) הָאָ֜רֶץ (the land) חָמָ֗ס (with violence), וַיָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ (and turn back) לְהַכְעִיסֵ֔נִי (to provoke Me to anger); וְהִנָּ֛ם (and For behold, they) שֹׁלְחִ֥ים (are sending) אֶת־ (-) הַזְּמוֹרָ֖ה (the branch) אֶל־ (to) אַפָּֽם׃ (their nose). 18  וְגַם־ (Also) אֲנִי֙ (I) אֶעֱשֶׂ֣ה (will act) בְחֵמָ֔ה (in fury). לֹֽא־ (Not) תָח֥וֹס (will show pity), עֵינִ֖י (My eye) וְלֹ֣א (and not) אֶחְמֹ֑ל (will I have pity); וְקָרְא֤וּ (and though they cry) בְאָזְנַי֙ (into My ears) ק֣וֹל (in a voice), גָּד֔וֹל (great) וְלֹ֥א (not at all) אֶשְׁמַ֖ע (I will hear) אוֹתָֽם׃ (them).