Visionary Journey to Jerusalem

1In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, I was sitting in my house and the elders of Judah were sitting in front of me,a and there the hand of the Lord GOD came down on me.b 2I looked, and there was a form that had the appearance of a man.c From what seemed to be His waist down was fire, and from His waist up was something that looked bright,d like the gleam of amber.e 3He stretched out what appeared to be a hand and took me by the hair of my head. Then the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and carried me in visions of Godf to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the inner gate that faces north, where the offensive statue that provokes jealousyg was located. 4I saw the glory of the God of Israelh there, like the vision I had seen in the plain.i

Pagan Practices in the Temple

5The LORD said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” I looked to the north, and there was this offensive statue north of the altar gate, at the entrance. 6He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing here, more detestable things that the house of Israel is committing,j so that I must depart from My sanctuary? You will see even more detestable things.”

7Then He brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked there was a hole in the wall. 8He said to me, “Son of man, dig through the wall.” So I dug through the wall, and there was a doorway. 9He said to me, “Go in and see the terrible and detestable things they are committing here.” 10I went in and looked, and there engraved all around the wall was every form of detestable thing, crawling creatures and beasts, as well as all the idols of the house of Israel.k

11Seventy elders from the house of Israel were standing before them, with Jaazaniah son of Shaphanl standing among them. Each had a firepan in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense was rising up. 12Then He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his idol? For they are saying, ‘The LORD does not see us. The LORD has abandoned the land.’ ”m 13Again He said to me, “You will see even more detestable things, which they are committing.”

14So He brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the LORD’s house, and I saw women sitting there weeping for Tammuz. 15And He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? You will see even more detestable things than these.”

16So He brought me to the inner court of the LORD’s house, and there were about 25 men at the entrance of the LORD’s temple, between the portico and the altar,n with their backs to the LORD’s temple and their faces turned to the east.o They were bowing to the east in worship of the sun.p 17And He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the detestable things they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violenceq and repeatedly provoke Me to anger,r even putting the branch to their nose?s, t 18Therefore I will respond with wrath.u I will not show pity or spare them.v Though they cry out in My ears with a loud voice,w I will not listen to them.”