Ezekiel 8 8

Ezekiel 8:8 kjv

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

Ezekiel 8:8 nkjv

Then He said to me, "Son of man, dig into the wall"; and when I dug into the wall, there was a door.

Ezekiel 8:8 niv

He said to me, "Son of man, now dig into the wall." So I dug into the wall and saw a doorway there.

Ezekiel 8:8 esv

Then he said to me, "Son of man, dig in the wall." So I dug in the wall, and behold, there was an entrance.

Ezekiel 8:8 nlt

He said to me, "Now, son of man, dig into the wall." So I dug into the wall and found a hidden doorway.

Ezekiel 8 8 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Ezekiel 8:8"Then he said to me, “Go through the wall.” And when I went through the wall, I saw a door."Vision of entry into forbidden spaces
Jeremiah 50:17"Israel is a scattered sheep. The lions have driven them away."Figurative description of dispersion
Isaiah 44:28"Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,’ and he shall accomplish all my purpose."Divine appointment of leaders
Jeremiah 23:29"Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?"Power and efficacy of God's word
Acts 17:11"Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica, because they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so."Eagerness to understand divine instruction
John 10:7"So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep."Jesus as the entrance to spiritual life
John 10:9"I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture."Salvation through Christ
Revelation 3:8"I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, that no one can shut."Opportunities for service and advancement
Psalm 118:19"Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter and give thanks to the LORD."Access to worship
Hebrews 4:16"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need."Confidence in approaching God
1 Corinthians 16:9"for a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries."Doors of opportunity in ministry
Matthew 7:7"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."Persistence in seeking God
Ezekiel 40:3"And he brought me there, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a line of flax thread in his hand and a measuring reed. And he stood in the gateway."Measuring the temple of the future
2 Corinthians 6:17"Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, declares the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you."Separation from defilement
Exodus 26:31-33Description of the Tabernacle veilDelineation between Holy and Most Holy places
Leviticus 16:2The Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, lest he die, for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat."Restrictions on access to the divine presence
Psalm 40:2"He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure."Deliverance and security
Jeremiah 7:11"Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?"Condemnation of misuse of sacred places
Amos 5:26"You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god, your images, which you made for yourselves."Worship of forbidden idols
1 Kings 11:7"Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites on the mountain east of Jerusalem."Idolatrous practices in Jerusalem
Acts 4:12"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."Exclusive salvation in Christ
Romans 10:4"For Christ is the end of the law, that everyone who believes might be justified."Christ as the fulfillment of the law
Revelation 21:15"And the angel who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and its wall."Measuring of the heavenly city
John 14:6"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."Christ as the sole mediator

Ezekiel 8 verses

Ezekiel 8 8 Meaning

The verse describes the prophet Ezekiel being shown a vision of a hidden gateway in the wall of the inner court. This gateway led to further chambers, suggesting a concealed and private area within the established religious structure, a place seemingly meant for worship or significant activity.

Ezekiel 8 8 Context

Ezekiel chapter 8 is a pivotal part of the prophet's message during the Babylonian exile. The vision presented here highlights the profound spiritual corruption within the Temple in Jerusalem. God reveals to Ezekiel the abominations being practiced in secret, which have led to His departure from the sanctuary and ultimately the destruction of Jerusalem. This particular verse marks the transition from observing the general scene of idolatry to a more specific revelation of a concealed entrance. It sets the stage for Ezekiel's detailed exposition of further sinful activities occurring within this hidden area, emphasizing the hidden nature of Israel's apostasy and the impending judgment. The historical context is critical, as it illustrates the depth of the Israelites' failure to adhere to God's covenant, even within the sacred precincts.

Ezekiel 8 8 Word Analysis

  • וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (vayyōˈmer): "and he said." This phrase indicates a continuation of the discourse, with the divine speaker (the LORD or the angelic guide) initiating the next action or revelation. It connects this statement to what preceded it.
  • אֵלַ֗י (ʾēˈlay): "to me." This direct address emphasizes the personal nature of the revelation to Ezekiel, indicating that these visions and instructions are specifically for him as God's messenger.
  • לֵךְ (lēḵ): "Go." This is a command in the imperative form, indicating an immediate and necessary action for Ezekiel.
  • בַּקִּיר (baqqīr): "through the wall." The prepositional prefix 'בָּ' (bā) meaning "in" or "through" combined with 'קִיר' (qīr) meaning "wall." This is an unusual instruction, implying a supernatural or miraculous means of passage through a solid barrier, highlighting the extraordinary nature of the divine intervention. It signifies an entry into a space that is deliberately concealed or inaccessible by normal means.
  • וָאֵ֧בֶק (wāʾēˈḇeq): "and I went through." This is the consecutive imperfect tense of the verb 'אָבַק' (ʾāḇaq), which can mean "to wrestle," but here implies passing through or entering. The context clearly supports a movement into a space.
  • וָאֵ֧רֶא (wāʾēˈrē): "and I saw." This signifies a visual discovery or revelation, the act of perceiving what is behind the wall.
  • פֶּ֗תַח (peˈtaḥ): "a gateway" or "an opening." This refers to an entrance, specifically a doorway or passage. The term is often used for the entrance to a building or court.
  • וְהִנֵּה (wəhinnēh): "and behold." This interjection serves to draw the reader's attention emphatically to the discovery. It indicates surprise or the presentation of something significant and immediately before the eyes.

Word Group Analysis:

  • "Go through the wall": This directive "לֵךְ בַּקִּיר" (lēḵ baqqīr) signifies a move beyond the obvious and into a hidden, illicit space. The act of penetrating a solid structure suggests a divine permission or enablement for Ezekiel to access areas not meant for ordinary observation, pointing to secrets that God is about to unveil.
  • "And when I went through the wall, I saw a door": The progression from passage ("וָאֵ֧בֶק") to perception ("וָאֵ֧רֶא") highlights the unveiling of a hidden element – "a door" ("פֶּ֗תַח"). This transition from being outside to perceiving an entrance emphasizes the transition from the general inspection of the temple to a more specific investigation into its clandestine corruptions.

Ezekiel 8 8 Bonus Section

The "door" revealed after passing through the wall in Ezekiel 8:8 is reminiscent of the separation between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle and later the Temple, demarcated by a veil (Exodus 26:31-33). However, here, the prophetic instruction is to bypass the normal, established entry and penetrate the very structure, revealing an additional, secret entryway into chambers not meant for legitimate worship. This speaks to the perversion of sacred space itself. The context of this chapter is deeply polemical, exposing practices like sun worship and idolatrous imagery within the very heart of Jerusalem's Temple, which were direct contradictions to the covenant established by God, particularly with prohibitions against such idolatry found in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:4-5). The vision underscores that even the divinely appointed dwelling place could be defiled by human sin.

Ezekiel 8 8 Commentary

This verse is instrumental in the unfolding vision of Jerusalem's impending judgment due to deep-seated sin. The divine instruction for Ezekiel to pass "through the wall" is not a mere physical act but a symbolic representation of penetrating the facade of religious practice to expose the hidden rot within. The appearance of a "door" after passing through the wall indicates that behind the outward appearance of the Temple, there existed concealed spaces where forbidden acts were being perpetrated. These actions, not readily visible to the public eye, were nonetheless known to God and served as a direct cause for His wrath and the impending destruction. This emphasizes the principle that God's judgment targets not only public sins but also hidden corruption, especially within religious settings. The concealed nature of the doorway points to the clandestine apostasy of Israel.