Ezekiel 8

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

In the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, as I sat in my home with Judah's elders, I felt the powerful touch of God upon me.

Then I beheld, 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.

I saw, with awe and wonder, a figure that seemed to be made of fire. From his waist down, he was pure flame; from his waist up, he shone with a brilliant light, like the golden glow of amber.

And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.

He reached out, gently grasping my hair, and I felt a powerful force lifting me up, carrying me between heaven and earth. I was taken on a divine journey to Jerusalem, right to the door of the inner gate facing north. There, I saw the symbol that stirred up jealousy, seated in its provocative glory.

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

There it was, the radiant splendor of Israel's God, just as I had seen in my dream while in the open fields.

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

He told me, "Look north, my child." So, I looked north and saw, at the altar's gate, an image that stirred jealousy right at the entrance.

He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.

He asked me, "Do you see the terrible things they're doing, the awful sins committed by the people of Israel, driving me away from my own sanctuary? But you'll see things that are even worse."

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

He guided me to the courtyard's entrance; and there, to my surprise, I found a gap in the wall.

Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.

He then told me, "Human, start digging into the wall." As I did, to my surprise, I found a door.

And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.

He told me, "Enter and witness the terrible wrongs they commit here."

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

I stepped inside and was taken aback; I saw images of crawling creatures, horrifying beasts, and all the false gods of Israel, vividly depicted on the surrounding walls.

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

Seventy elders of Israel stood before these images, with Jaazaniah, son of Shaphan, among them. Each held a censer, and together they created a dense, fragrant cloud of incense that rose high.

Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, the LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.

He asked me, "Have you seen what the elders of Israel do in the dark, each in the room of his own idols? They say, 'The Lord doesn't see us; the Lord has abandoned the land.'"

He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.

He told me, "Look again, and you'll witness even more horrifying actions they commit."

Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.

He guided me to the entrance of the Lord's sanctuary, facing north. There, I saw women, their hearts heavy with sorrow, shedding tears for Tammuz.

Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.

He asked me, "Have you seen this, human? Look again, and you'll witness even worse horrors."

And he brought 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 worshipped the sun toward the east.

He led me to the heart of God's house, where I saw, at the temple's entrance, about twenty-five men. They had turned their backs on God's temple, facing east, and were worshipping the rising sun.

Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.

He asked me, "Have you seen this, human? Do you think the people of Judah take their wrongdoings lightly? They've filled the land with chaos, angering me once again. They're blatantly disrespecting me."

Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.

In my anger, I will act without mercy or compassion. Even if they scream for mercy, I will turn a deaf ear.