CHAPTER 8

1 And it happened in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day, I was sitting in my house, and the elders of Judea were sitting before my face, and there the hand of the Lord Jehovah fell upon me.

2 I looked, and behold a likeness as the appearance of fire: From the appearance of its loins downwards, fire; And from its loins upwards, as the appearance of brightness, Like the figure of Hasmal.

3 And he sent the likeness of a hand, And raised ma by a lock of my head; And the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, And led me to Jerusalem in the visions of God, To the door of the inner gate looking towards the north; Where was the seat of the idol jealousy, causing jealousy.

4 Then lo! there was the glory of the God of Israel, According to the vision which I saw in the plain.

5 And said to me, Son of man, lift up your eyes now To the way of the north: So I raised my eyes towards the north, And lo! towards the north at the gate of the altar, That idol -- jealousy -- at the entrance.

6 And he said to me, Son of man, seest you their deeds? The great abominations which the house of Israel perpetrate here, That I should depart far from my sanctuary? But turn thee yet again, and you shall see greater abominations.

7 Then he led m, to the door of the court, And I looked, and lo! an opening in the wall. Then he said to me, Son of man, dig now into the wall; And I dug in the wall, and behold a door.

8 Then he said to me, Enter and see the evil abominations which they do.

9 Then I entered and beheld, and lo! every likeness of a reptile,

10 And abominations of animals, and, all idols of the house of Israel, Were depicted on the wall round about.

11 And seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, And Jazaniah, son of Saphan, stood in the midst of them, Who stood before them, and to each r, censer in his hand, And a thick cloud of incense ascended.

12 Then he said to, me, Has you seen, son of mall, What the elders of the house of Israel do in darkness, Each in the hidden places of his imagery? Who say, Jehovah does not see us; Jehovah has deserted the land.

13 Then he said to me, Turn thee again, And you shall see the great abominations which they do.

14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of Jehovah's house, Which looks to the north: and lo! there sat women Lamenting for Thammuz.

15 Then he said to me, Son of man, turn thee again, And you shall see greater abominations than these.

16 Then he led me to the inner court of Jehovah's house, And lo! at the gate of Jehovah's temple, between the entrance and the altar, About five and twenty men, with their backs towards Jehovah's temple, And their faces towards the east, worshipping the rising sun.

17 Then he said to me, Has you seen this, son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judea To do these abominations which they have done there? Because they have fined the land with violence, And have returned to provoke me, And lo! they put the branch to their nose.

18 I also in return will deal in my fury: Mine eye shall neither spare nor pity; And when they cry in mine ears with a loud voice I will not hear them.