Ezekiel 8 10

Ezekiel 8:10 kjv

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.

Ezekiel 8:10 nkjv

So I went in and saw, and there?every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed all around on the walls.

Ezekiel 8:10 niv

So I went in and looked, and I saw portrayed all over the walls all kinds of crawling things and unclean animals and all the idols of Israel.

Ezekiel 8:10 esv

So I went in and saw. And there, engraved on the wall all around, was every form of creeping things and loathsome beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel.

Ezekiel 8:10 nlt

So I went in and saw the walls covered with engravings of all kinds of crawling animals and detestable creatures. I also saw the various idols worshiped by the people of Israel.

Ezekiel 8 verses

Ezekiel 8 10 Meaning

Ezekiel 8:10 graphically depicts the profound spiritual corruption within the temple precincts in Jerusalem. In a divine vision, the prophet Ezekiel is shown an inner chamber where the walls are thoroughly covered with engravings of various unclean creatures, abhorrent beasts, and the collective idols of the people of Israel. This visual testimony exposes the widespread and deep-seated idolatry that had defiled the holy place, demonstrating the extent of Israel's departure from God and their embrace of pagan worship practices right within the supposed dwelling of the Lord.

Ezekiel 8 10 Context

Ezekiel chapter 8 initiates a pivotal vision granted to the prophet while he was among the exiles in Babylon. Transported by the Spirit to Jerusalem, Ezekiel is shown the appalling abominations committed within the temple precincts. This vision, spanning chapters 8-11, serves to reveal the extent of Israel's idolatry and spiritual depravity, thus justifying God's impending judgment: the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple, and the prolonged exile. Verse 10 specifically describes one of the visual horrors within an inner court of the temple. The sequence of visions in Chapter 8 illustrates increasing levels of defilement, beginning at the outer gate and progressing deeper into the sacred complex, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the apostasy. The historical context is the period leading up to the final destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon (around 586 BC), with Ezekiel prophesying to those already in exile. The people in Jerusalem, including the elders, mistakenly believed God would still protect the temple and city, but God here shows Ezekiel the very reason for His withdrawal and coming wrath.

Ezekiel 8 10 Word analysis

• So I went in: wā'āḇō' (וָאֲבֹא). The initial "So" implies a continuation from the previous instruction. "I went in" denotes Ezekiel's direct, personal, and physically guided entry into the specific area under divine direction. It signifies the prophet as an eyewitness, giving gravity to the revelation.

• and saw: wā'er'eh (וָאֵרֶא). Emphasizes the visual clarity of the revelation. Ezekiel doesn't merely hear about the abominations but sees them vividly, providing undeniable proof.

• and there: The Hebrew wəhinneh (וְהִנֵּה), often translated as "behold," "look," or "and there," serves as an interjection to draw immediate attention to what is about to be revealed. It intensifies the description.

• every form: kol-tavnîṯ (כָל-תַּבְנִית). Kol means "all" or "every." Tavnîṯ means "pattern," "likeness," "model," or "form." This highlights the extensive, diverse, and all-encompassing nature of the idolatry, not just a singular form but multitudinous representations.

• of creeping things: remeś (רֶמֶשׂ). Refers to a class of animals that swarm, crawl, or creep, such as reptiles or insects. According to Mosaic law (e.g., Lev 11), these were expressly categorized as unclean and detestable, rendering anything they touched ritually impure. To engrave them in a temple setting represents the ultimate profanation.

• and detestable beasts: wəḇāhāmāh šeqeṣ (וּבְהֵמָה שֶׁקֶץ). Bāhāmāh refers to an animal or beast. Šeqeṣ (detestable/abomination) is a strong term for something abhorrent, repulsive, or ritually impure. This likely includes animals deemed unclean by Jewish law or those associated with pagan cults, such as the zoomorphic deities of Egypt or Canaan, making them anathema for worship.

• and all the idols: wəḵol-gillulîm (וְכֹל גִּלּוּלִים). Kol again means "all," underscoring totality. Gillulîm is Ezekiel's characteristic and highly derogatory term for idols, which appears frequently in his prophecy. It literally means "dung-gods" or "fetid things," reflecting their utter worthlessness, defilement, and a polemic against the supposed power of false gods.

• of the house of Israel: lĕḇēṯ yiśrā'ēl (לְבֵית יִשׂרָאֵל). This explicitly identifies the perpetrators: God's own chosen people. It highlights the internal corruption rather than an external threat, emphasizing their apostasy and covenant breaking.

• were engraved: məḥuqqīm (מְחֻקִּים). The verb implies carving, inscribing, or drawing. The passive participle indicates these images were permanently etched or drawn onto the surface, signifying a deliberate, lasting act rather than temporary or accidental defilement.

• on the wall: `al-haqqîr (עַל־הַקִּיר). The singular "wall" suggests a continuous surface, indicating the interior space where these were depicted.

• all around: sāḇîḇ sāḇîḇ (סָבִיב סָבִיב). The repetition of sāḇîḇ (around, on every side) intensely emphasizes the pervasive and encircling nature of these idolatrous images. The entire visible area was covered, leaving no spot untouched, symbolically illustrating the all-consuming nature of their idolatry within their lives and worship.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "I went in and saw, and there": Establishes Ezekiel's role as a divine witness to undeniable truths. It ensures the vision's authenticity and severity.
  • "every form of creeping things and detestable beasts": This phrase details the content of the idolatry, revealing extreme spiritual depravity. It directly defies Mosaic purity laws (Leviticus 11) and connects Israel's worship to forbidden, perhaps even abhorrent, pagan animal cults. The scope of "every form" underscores the vastness of this unholy menagerie.
  • "and all the idols of the house of Israel": This expands the visual to include other forms of idolatry beyond just animalistic figures, encompassing the complete spectrum of their false worship. Identifying "the house of Israel" underscores their covenant unfaithfulness. The term gillulîm expresses God's utter disdain for these lifeless images.
  • "were engraved on the wall all around": This crucial detail reveals the permanence and pervasiveness of the idolatry. They were not hidden or transient acts but officially sanctioned and integrated aspects of their spiritual life, openly defiling God's house in a complete encirclement.

Ezekiel 8 10 Bonus section

• The concept of depicting animals, especially unclean ones, for worship directly contrasts with God's commands regarding pure worship and the avoidance of pagan practices, serving as a powerful polemic against surrounding cultures. The emphasis on "creeping things" points to the most debased and lowest forms of life from a Levitical purity perspective.
• The fact that these images were "engraved" (məḥuqqīm) implies not a temporary defacement but an intentional, artistic, and permanent act, akin to deliberate mural decoration. This suggests a settled, culturally ingrained practice of syncretism rather than a momentary lapse.
• This visual degradation foreshadows the later visions in Ezekiel where God's glory progressively departs from the temple, precisely because the place intended for His holiness had become utterly desecrated.

Ezekiel 8 10 Commentary

Ezekiel 8:10 provides a stark visual indictment of Judah's spiritual rebellion. Within the holy confines of God's temple, a space designated for His pure worship, Ezekiel is confronted with the horrifying spectacle of walls covered entirely with engravings of unclean creatures and despised idols. This isn't merely a private sin; it's institutionalized apostasy, an overt integration of pagan animal cults and idolatry directly into the fabric of the people's religious practice. The "creeping things" and "detestable beasts" signify a deliberate violation of Mosaic dietary and purity laws, indicating an embrace of the very practices God condemned (e.g., Egyptian or Canaanite zoomorphic worship). Ezekiel's unique and derogatory term for idols, gillulîm ("dung-gods"), reinforces God's utter contempt for these substitutes. The comprehensive "all around" signifies total immersion in this defilement, leaving no doubt as to the pervasiveness of the sin. This revelation of explicit, visual blasphemy in the most sacred space forms a fundamental basis for God's impending judgment, demonstrating that the people had actively provoked His departure from His own temple.