8:1 on the fifth Ezekiel’s inaugural vision also occurred on the fifth day of a month (see 1:1–2). The sixth year refers to the years of King Jehoiachin’s exile, the typical reference for Ezekiel’s dating scheme (see note on 1:2). This event occurs in mid-September 592 bc, a year and two months after the vision in chs. 1–3.

Calendars in Old Testament Times

the elders of Judah The leaders of the exiled community are with Ezekiel in his home when he is overcome by the vision from God. The exact nature of the leaders’ business with the prophet is unstated.

the hand of the Lord Yahweh fell on me Ezekiel frequently describes his interaction with God in very physical, anthropomorphic language (see note on 1:3).

8:2 the appearance of The same human-like divine form Ezekiel describes in 1:26–27. He remains cautious in his descriptions (see note on 1:13).

amber A word used only by Ezekiel. See note on 1:4.

8:3 the form of The Hebrew word used here, tavnith, indicates a pattern for construction (2 Kgs 16:10). Ezekiel uses the word synonymously with words for likeness and appearance (see note on Ezek 1:5; and note on 1:13).

he took me by a lock of hair of my head See note on 2:2.

to Jerusalem in visions of God Ezekiel describes a supernatural, dream-like experience in which God shows him what is happening in Judah.

inner gate Ezekiel’s tour of the abominations in the temple begins outside the inner court.

the image of jealousy The reference is clearly to an idol at the entrance to the inner court of the temple, but the identification is left ambiguous. Idol worship provoked Yahweh’s jealousy (see Deut 32:16).

8:4 the glory of the God of Israel Ezekiel connects his vision to what he saw before in Ezek 1:28.

vision that I saw in the valley Points back to his second encounter with Yahweh in 3:23.

8:5 Son of man Yahweh never refers to Ezekiel by name (see note on 2:1).

8:6 great detestable things Ezekiel sees for himself the abominations declared in 5:11 (see note on 5:11).

drive me from my sanctuary This is the essence of Ezekiel’s vision: The idolatry in the temple has driven Yahweh away.

yet you will see again greater detestable things This assurance is repeated after each scene of idolatry (see vv. 13, 15). The first example is the image outside the inner court, where Ezekiel was dropped first. The next one will be even worse.

8:7 to the doorway of the courtyard Ezekiel’s divine guide brings him to the entrance to the inner court.

A hole in the wall Instead of entering through the gateway, Ezekiel enters surreptitiously.

8:9 detestable things, the evil that they are doing here Characterizing idols as abominations is one of Ezekiel’s most common descriptive techniques (see note on 5:11).

8:10 creatures and detestable beasts The carvings Ezekiel sees violate the command prohibiting the creation of graven images (Exod 20:4). The laws of Deuteronomy also explicitly forbade the people from carving of images of humans, animals, birds, or fish (see Deut 4:15–18). Further, animals categorized as creeping things were unclean (Lev 11:44).

8:11 seventy men from the elders of The number of elders signifies the upper level of leadership in Israel (compare Moses’ selection of 70 elders in Num 11:24 and the presence of 70 elders in Exod 24:1).

Jaazaniah, the son of Shaphan Shaphan was the scribe of Josiah during religious reforms described in 2 Kgs 22:8–23:30. Shaphan’s family members are mentioned favorably in the book of Jeremiah and seem to have been loyal followers of Yahweh (Jer 26:24; 29:3; 36:11–19). The family’s positive reputation may explain the specific mention here of one member involved in idol worship. If Ezekiel recognized the man, his presence among the idolaters may have been a shock.

his censer A pan with a handle used for removing ashes from an altar or burning incense over hot coals.

the fragrance of the cloud of the incense The priests created a cloud of incense on the Day of Atonement to screen the high priest from the divine presence in the holy of holies (the most holy place; Exod 26:33). Ironically, the cloud Ezekiel sees is created for idols and separates people from Yahweh.

8:12 the inner rooms of his idol This description suggests that elders were burning incense at carved niches around the temple complex.

Yahweh is not seeing us The elders believed Yahweh had abandoned them or had been defeated and was unable to save them (compare Isa 40:27).

Yahweh has abandoned the land Compare Zion’s claim that Yahweh had forsaken her in Isa 49:14.

8:13 Still you will see again greater detestable things Again, Ezekiel is assured that worse is to come (see note on Ezek 8:6).

8:14 weeping for Tammuz Tammuz (Dumuzi) was a Sumerian deity and part of the dying-and-rising-god mythology connected to fertility rituals. During the dry, unproductive season, Tammuz inhabited the underworld. Rituals of mourning for Tammuz—the apparent scene described here—were intended to restore Tammuz to life and thus restore the land’s fertility. The worship of Tammuz at the Jerusalem temple adds an element of Mesopotamian idolatry to the Canaanite idolatry already present.

Pagan Deities in the Old Testament Table

8:15 Still you will see again greater detestable things than these The promise before the final scene of idolatry (see vv. 6, 13).

8:16 twenty-five men The number of men present varies from 20–25 based on different ot versions. The Greek text reads 20; the Hebrew reads 25. The Mesopotamian sun god Shamash is associated with the number 20.

their backs to the temple of Yahweh Turning their backs shows great disrespect to Yahweh. In ancient cultures, turning one’s back on the king was tantamount to treason and worthy of death.

were bowing down toward the east before the sun The sun, or shemesh, was worshiped as a deity named Shamash. Mesopotamian texts depict Shamash and Tammuz as temple guardians.

8:17 They are putting the branch to their nose This probably refers to a Mesopotamian religious practice. Cedar branches were associated with the deity Tammuz (see v. 14). Some depictions of Assyrian kings before their gods show a branch held in front of their faces—apparently a gesture of entreaty.