Ezekiel 8:5-12 ▼

5 And He said to me: “Son of man, lift up now your eyes to the way northward.” And I lifted my eyes to the way northward, and behold! From the north of the Gate of the Altar was this image of jealousy in the entrance.

6 And He said to me: “Son of man, are you seeing what they are doing? The great abominations that the house of Israel is doing here to keep Me far off from My sanctuary? And still you will turn and you will see greater abominations!”

7 And He brought me to the door of the court; and I looked, and behold, one hole in the wall.

8 And He said to me: “Son of man, dig now into the wall.” And I dug into the wall, and behold, one opening.

9 And He said to me: “Go in and see the evil abominations that they are doing here!”

10 And I went in and saw. And behold, every manner of creeping thing and detestable beast, and all the idols of the house of Israel were engraved on the walls all around,

11 and seventy men from the elders of the house of Israel—and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing in their midst—standing before them; and each man his censer in his hand, and the fragrance of a cloud of incense was rising up.

12 And He said to me: “Have you seen, Son of man, that which the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each man in the inner chambers of his imagery? For they say, ‘YHWH is not seeing us, for YHWH has forsaken the land.’”