Ezekiel 8:17 kjv
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.
Ezekiel 8:17 nkjv
And He said to me, "Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke Me to anger. Indeed they put the branch to their nose.
Ezekiel 8:17 niv
He said to me, "Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial matter for the people of Judah to do the detestable things they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence and continually arouse my anger? Look at them putting the branch to their nose!
Ezekiel 8:17 esv
Then he said to me, "Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations that they commit here, that they should fill the land with violence and provoke me still further to anger? Behold, they put the branch to their nose.
Ezekiel 8:17 nlt
"Have you seen this, son of man?" he asked. "Is it nothing to the people of Judah that they commit these detestable sins, leading the whole nation into violence, thumbing their noses at me, and provoking my anger?
Ezekiel 8 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 8:16 | ...they were with their backs to the temple of the LORD... | Ezekiel 8:16 |
| Isaiah 5:21 | Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! | Isaiah 5:21 |
| Jeremiah 2:27 | Who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You have borne me.’ | Jeremiah 2:27 |
| Jeremiah 7:14 | therefore I will do to this house, which is called by my name... | Jeremiah 7:14 |
| 1 Samuel 15:22 | to obey is better than sacrifice... | 1 Samuel 15:22 |
| Psalms 106:39 | they became a stain to themselves and played the whore in their doings. | Psalms 106:39 |
| Romans 1:23 | and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man... | Romans 1:23 |
| Deuteronomy 11:16 | Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived... | Deuteronomy 11:16 |
| Hosea 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... | Hosea 4:6 |
| Micah 6:16 | For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab... | Micah 6:16 |
| 2 Kings 17:16 | And they abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God... | 2 Kings 17:16 |
| Acts 17:29 | we ought not to think that the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone... | Acts 17:29 |
| Colossians 2:18 | Let no one disqualify you, insisting on Asceticism and worship of angels... | Colossians 2:18 |
| Revelation 4:11 | Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power... | Revelation 4:11 |
| 2 Corinthians 4:4 | ...in their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers... | 2 Corinthians 4:4 |
| Nahum 1:14 | But the LORD declares: "I have decreed your doom; no one will mourn you... | Nahum 1:14 |
| Habakkuk 2:18 | What profit is an idol when its maker has fashioned it... | Habakkuk 2:18 |
| Isaiah 44:19 | "Have I not seen this? No one has this in mind or claims to have knowledge... | Isaiah 44:19 |
| Jeremiah 10:3-4 | For the customs of the peoples are futile; they cut a tree from the forest... | Jeremiah 10:3-4 |
| Matthew 15:8 | "‘this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." | Matthew 15:8 |
Ezekiel 8 verses
Ezekiel 8 17 Meaning
This verse describes a scene where the prophet Ezekiel witnesses people within the temple, turning their backs to the sanctuary of the LORD, and facing east, worshipping the sun. It signifies profound spiritual corruption and abandonment of true worship.
Ezekiel 8 17 Context
Ezekiel is given a vision by God in chapter 8 of Jerusalem, specifically of the idolatrous practices occurring within the temple. This verse occurs as part of a series of abominations detailed in the chapter, following the vision of the man with a measuring line, the secret chamber, and the wall. The people's backs are turned to the sanctuary, signifying a complete rejection of God's presence and worship. The worship of the sun toward the east is an explicit example of this idolatry, directly confronting God's appointed worship. This vision is given to Ezekiel as proof of the corruption that has permeated Jerusalem and its sacred spaces, leading to God's judgment.
Ezekiel 8 17 Word analysis
və·hêm·nā — (And they were): Emphasizes their continued state of turning away.
·šêm — (back): Indicates a deliberate turning away from the center of worship.
·nə·ḵū — (to): Connects their action to the object of their aversion.
·ha·ḵ·ā·ḇ·wā — (the temple): Refers specifically to the sanctuary of God.
·lî — (of me): The LORD's personal claim on His dwelling place, highlighting their insult.
·mə·ʾō·rā — (toward): Directionality of their worship.
·qō·ḇə·ḡə — (east): The cardinal direction associated with the rising sun, a common focus of ancient nature worship.
·wə··hem — (and they): Connects the two actions of turning back and facing east.
·miʃ·tā·ḥă·ḇîm — (worshipping): The act of bowing down in reverence.
·la·ʃə·meʃ — (the sun): The object of their idolatrous worship, a stark contrast to the Creator of the sun.
Turning their backs to the temple of the LORD: This phrase encapsulates their complete spiritual rebellion and rejection of God’s presence and law. It is a profound disrespect for the sacred.
Worshipping the sun toward the east: This highlights nature worship and astrology. The sun, a creation of God, is exalted above the Creator Himself. This is a direct violation of the first and second commandments. The eastward orientation points to an established practice of solar cults in surrounding cultures.
Ezekiel 8 17 Bonus Section
The eastward orientation for worship is particularly significant. Ancient cultures often associated the east with new beginnings, the source of light and life, and a dwelling place of deities. By turning this natural phenomenon into an object of worship, the Israelites were engaging in a syncretistic practice that corrupted their devotion. This act directly contravenes the admonition in Deuteronomy 4:19, which warns against worshipping the "host of heaven," including the sun, moon, and stars. This abandonment of the LORD for created things is a recurring theme of judgment in the Old Testament, emphasizing that true worship is directed to the invisible God, not to His creation.
Ezekiel 8 17 Commentary
The people's action is a multifaceted sin: defiance, disrespect, and outright idolatry. They abandon God's house and God's presence (symbolized by the temple) and turn to a created object (the sun) for worship. This reflects a heart deeply corrupted by false religious practices common in the ancient Near East. They are not just deviating; they are actively turning away from the LORD’s sanctuary. This imagery starkly illustrates a covenant people abandoning their covenant God for the gods of the nations. Their worship is directed towards the physical, the created, and the cyclical, rather than the transcendent and eternal God. This was a deeply offensive act to God, symbolizing the ultimate betrayal of their exclusive relationship with Him.
- The deliberate turning of the back signifies a conscious decision to disassociate from God.
- The worship of the sun is a reversal of proper order, where the creature is worshipped instead of the Creator.
- This practice demonstrates a capitulation to the syncretism and idolatrous tendencies prevalent in the surrounding Canaanite religions.