And it came to pass in the sixthyear, in the sixthmonth, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in minehouse, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fellthereupon me.
Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loinsevendownward, fire; and from his loinsevenupward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of minehead; and the spiritlifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the innergatethatlookethtoward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, whichprovoketh to jealousy.
Thensaid he unto me, Son of man, lift up thineeyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mineeyes the way toward the north, and beholdnorthward at the gate of the altarthisimage of jealousy in the entry.
He saidfurthermoreunto me, Son of man, seestthouwhatthey do? even the greatabominationsthat the house of Israelcommittethhere, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turnthee yet again, and thoushalt see greaterabominations.
So I went in and saw; and beholdeveryform of creepingthings, and abominablebeasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayedupon the wallroundabout.
And therestoodbeforethemseventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of themstoodJaazaniah the son of Shaphan, withevery man his censer in his hand; and a thickcloud of incensewent up.
Thensaid he unto me, Son of man, hastthouseenwhat the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORDseeth us not; the LORDhathforsaken the earth.
And he brought me into the innercourt of the LORD’Shouse, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, wereaboutfive and twenty men, withtheirbackstoward the temple of the LORD, and theirfacestoward the east; and theyworshipped the sun toward the east.
Then he saidunto me, Hastthouseenthis, O son of man? Is it a lightthing to the house of Judahthattheycommit the abominationswhichtheycommithere? for theyhavefilled the landwithviolence, and havereturned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to theirnose.
Thereforewill I alsodeal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neitherwill I havepity: and thoughthey cry in mineearswith a loudvoice, yet will I not hearthem.