Ezekiel 8:17
New International Version
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!

New Living Translation
“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?

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and continually provoke Me to anger? Look, they are even putting the branch to their nose!

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
And He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it a trivial thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and provoked Me to anger repeatedly? Yet behold, they are putting the twig to their nose!

NASB 1995
He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and provoked Me repeatedly? For behold, they are putting the twig to their nose.

NASB 1977
And He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and provoked Me repeatedly? For behold, they are putting the twig to their nose.

Legacy Standard Bible
He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to do the abominations which they have done here, that they have filled the land with violence and provoked Me to anger still more? For behold, they are sending forth the twig to their nose.

Amplified Bible
He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it too slight a thing for the house of Judah to commit the repulsive acts which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and repeatedly provoked Me to anger? And behold, they are putting the branch to their nose.

Christian Standard Bible
And he said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the detestable acts they are doing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and repeatedly anger me, even putting the branch to their nose?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the detestable things they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and repeatedly provoke Me to anger, even putting the branch to their nose?

American Standard Version
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 turned again to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.

Contemporary English Version
God said, "Ezekiel, it's bad enough that the people of Judah are doing these disgusting things. But they have also spread violence and injustice everywhere in Israel and have made me very angry. They have disgraced and insulted me in the worst possible way.

English Revised Version
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 turned again to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He asked me, "Son of man, do you see this? Isn't it bad enough that the people of Judah have done these disgusting things that you have seen here? Yet, they also fill the land with violence and continue to provoke me even more. Look how they insult me in the worst possible way.

Good News Translation
The LORD said to me, "Mortal man, do you see that? These people of Judah are not satisfied with merely doing all the disgusting things you have seen here and with spreading violence throughout the country. No, they must come and do them right here in the Temple and make me even more angry. Look how they insult me in the most offensive way possible!

International Standard Version
"Do you see this, Son of Man?" he asked me. "Is it an insignificant thing for Judah's house to commit the detestable things that they're doing here? They've filled the land with violence and turned away from me, causing me to become angry again. Look how they're sniffing with their noses!

Majority Standard Bible
“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and continually provoke Me to anger? Look, they are even putting the branch to their nose!

NET Bible
He said to me, "Do you see, son of man? Is it a trivial thing that the house of Judah commits these abominations they are practicing here? For they have filled the land with violence and provoked me to anger still further. Look, they are putting the branch to their nose!

New Heart English Bible
Then he said to me, "Have you seen this, 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 turned again to provoke me to anger: and look, they put the branch to their nose.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then he said to 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.

World English Bible
Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, 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 turned again to provoke me to anger. Behold, they put the branch to their nose.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And He says to me, “Have you seen, son of man? Has it been a light thing to the house of Judah to do the abomination that they have done here, that they have filled the land with violence, and turn back to provoke Me to anger? And behold, they are putting forth the branch to their nose!

Young's Literal Translation
And He saith unto me, 'Hast thou seen, son of man? hath it been a light thing to the house of Judah to do the abomination that they have done here, that they have filled the land with violence, and turn back to provoke Me to anger? and lo, they are putting forth the branch unto their nose!

Smith's Literal Translation
And he said to me, Sawest, thou son of man? Was it light to the house of Judah doing the abominations which they did here? for they filled the land with violence, and they turned back to irritate me: and behold them sending the branch to their nose.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to me: Surely thou hast seen, O son of man: is this a light thing to the house of Juda, that they should commit these abominations which they have committed here: because they have filled the land with iniquity, and have turned to provoke me to anger? and behold they put a branch to their nose.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said to me: “Certainly, son of man, you have seen. Can this be so trivial to the house of Judah, when they commit these abominations, just as they have committed here, that, having filled the earth with iniquity, they now turn to provoke me? And behold, they are applying a branch to their nose.

New American Bible
He said: Do you see, son of man? Are the abominable things the house of Judah has done here so slight that they should also fill the land with violence, provoking me again and again? Now they are putting the branch to my nose!

New Revised Standard Version
Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, O mortal? Is it not bad enough that the house of Judah commits the abominations done here? Must they fill the land with violence, and provoke my anger still further? See, they are putting the branch to their nose!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then he said to me, Do you see this, O Son of man? Is it a little thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with iniquity, and have returned to provoke me to anger; and they sneer at me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he said to me: “See, son of man! Is this abomination that they do here a little thing to those of the house of Yehuda? For they have filled the land with evil and they have turned to anger me, and they snort with their nostrils
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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 in that they fill the land with violence, and provoke Me still more, and, lo, they put the branch to their nose?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he said to me, Son of man, thou hast seen this. Is it a little thing to the house of Juda to practise the iniquities which they have practised here? for they have filled the land with iniquity: and, behold, these are as scorners.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Vision of Idolatry in the Temple
16So He brought me to the inner court of the house of the LORD, and there at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the portico and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; and they were bowing to the east in worship of the sun. 17“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and continually provoke Me to anger? Look, they are even putting the branch to their nose! 18Therefore I will respond with wrath. I will not look on them with pity, nor will I spare them. Although they shout loudly in My ears, I will not listen to them.”…

Cross References
Jeremiah 7:9-10
Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known, / and then come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered, so we can continue with all these abominations’?

Isaiah 65:3-4
to a people who continually provoke Me to My face, sacrificing in the gardens and burning incense on altars of brick, / sitting among the graves, spending nights in secret places, eating the meat of pigs and polluted broth from their bowls.

2 Kings 21:11-15
“Since Manasseh king of Judah has committed all these abominations, acting more wickedly than the Amorites who preceded him, and with his idols has caused Judah to sin, / this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah that the news will reverberate in the ears of all who hear it. / I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab, and I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a bowl—wiping it and turning it upside down. ...

Jeremiah 44:3-6
because of the evil they have done. They provoked Me to anger by continuing to burn incense and to serve other gods that neither they nor you nor your fathers ever knew. / Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets again and again, saying: ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate.’ / But they did not listen or incline their ears; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods. ...

2 Chronicles 36:14-16
Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people multiplied their unfaithful deeds, following all the abominations of the nations, and they defiled the house of the LORD, which He had consecrated in Jerusalem. / Again and again the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to His people through His messengers because He had compassion on them and on His dwelling place. / But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.

Isaiah 1:13-15
Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly. / I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. / When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.

Amos 5:21-23
“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. / Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard. / Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.

Micah 6:16
You have kept the statutes of Omri and all the practices of Ahab’s house; you have followed their counsel. Therefore I will make you a desolation, and your inhabitants an object of contempt; you will bear the scorn of the nations.”

Romans 1:28-32
Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. / They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, / slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents. ...

Matthew 23:29-32
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. / And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ / So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. ...

Acts 7:51-53
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did. / Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers— / you who received the law ordained by angels, yet have not kept it.”

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. / For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, / in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness.

Revelation 18:5-6
For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. / Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup.

Hosea 4:1-2
Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land! / Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.

Zephaniah 1:4-6
“I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all who dwell in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the idolatrous and pagan priests— / those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom, / and those who turn back from following the LORD, neither seeking the LORD nor inquiring of Him.”


Treasury of Scripture

Then he said to me, Have you 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, see, they put the branch to their nose.

It is a light, etc.

Ezekiel 7:23
Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.

Ezekiel 9:9
Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.

Ezekiel 11:6
Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.

they put.

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Abominations Anger Branch Commit Fill Filled House Judah Light Nose Provoke Turned Violence
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Ezekiel 8
1. Ezekiel, in a vision of God at Jerusalem
5. is shown the image of jealousy
7. the chambers of imagery
13. the mourners for Tammuz
16. the worshippers toward the sun
17. God's wrath for their idolatry














Son of man
This phrase is a frequent address to Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity and mortality in contrast to the divine nature of God. The Hebrew term "ben adam" underscores the prophet's role as a representative of humanity, tasked with conveying God's messages. It serves as a reminder of the humility and responsibility inherent in being chosen as a vessel for divine communication.

He said to me
This indicates direct communication from God to Ezekiel, highlighting the personal and intimate nature of prophetic revelation. It underscores the authority of the message, as it is not from human origin but from the divine. This phrase assures the reader of the authenticity and seriousness of the ensuing message.

do you see this?
A rhetorical question that draws attention to the vision Ezekiel is witnessing. It serves to engage the prophet's senses and understanding, urging him to fully grasp the gravity of the situation. This question invites reflection on the spiritual blindness of the people, contrasting it with the clarity given to the prophet.

Is it a trivial matter
The Hebrew word for "trivial" suggests something light or insignificant. Here, God is expressing indignation at the people's perception of their sins as minor. This phrase challenges the reader to consider the weight of sin and the tendency to underestimate its seriousness in the eyes of a holy God.

for the house of Judah
Referring specifically to the southern kingdom, this phrase highlights the covenant relationship between God and Judah. Despite their chosen status, Judah's actions have led them astray. This serves as a reminder of the responsibilities that come with being God's people and the consequences of failing to uphold them.

to commit the abominations
The term "abominations" refers to actions that are detestable and repugnant to God, often associated with idolatry and moral corruption. In Hebrew, "toebah" conveys a sense of loathing. This phrase underscores the severity of Judah's sins and their departure from God's commandments.

they are practicing here
This indicates ongoing, habitual sin rather than isolated incidents. The continuous nature of their actions suggests a deep-seated rebellion against God. It serves as a warning against complacency and the normalization of sin within a community.

that they must also fill the land with violence
Violence here is a manifestation of the moral decay resulting from idolatry and injustice. The Hebrew word "hamas" implies cruelty and oppression. This phrase highlights the societal impact of turning away from God, leading to chaos and suffering.

and continually provoke Me to anger?
God's anger is not capricious but a response to persistent disobedience and rebellion. The phrase "continually provoke" suggests a deliberate and repeated affront to God's holiness. It serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of hard-heartedness and the patience of God being tested.

Look
A call to attention, urging Ezekiel to observe carefully. This imperative emphasizes the importance of the vision and the need for vigilance in recognizing sin. It invites the reader to be alert and discerning in spiritual matters.

they are putting the branch to their nose!
This enigmatic phrase likely refers to a pagan ritual or act of contempt towards God. Some scholars suggest it symbolizes idolatrous practices or a gesture of defiance. It illustrates the depth of Judah's apostasy and the blatant disrespect shown towards God. This serves as a caution against adopting practices that dishonor God and highlights the need for purity in worship.

(17) For they have filled the land with violence.--Corruption in religion here, as always, bore its proper fruit in moral deterioration. A people who go astray from their duty to God are always found to neglect also their duty to man. Israel had before fallen into great and grievous sins. Within the memory of those still living, the good king Josiah, supported by the prophet Jeremiah and many others, had made great effort at reformation, and had purged the Temple of its abominations; hence God says the people "have returned to provoke me to anger."

Put the branch to their nose.--This is an obscure expression, on which the learning and ingenuity of commentators have been spent in vain. It is an allusion to some custom well known at the time, but now lost. The simplest explanation seems to be in a reference to the habit of the Parsees (mentioned by Strabo) in their worship to hold twigs of the tamarisk, palm, and the pomegranate before their mouths.

Verse 17. - For returned read, with the Revised Version, turned again. The wind seems chosen with special reference to the attitude of the idol worshippers. It may be noted that even here the prophet speaks not only of the idolatry of Judah, but of its violence also, as bringing down the judgments of Jehovah. Lo, they put the branch to their nose. The opening word expresses the prophet's burning indignation. The act described probably finds its best explanation in the Persian ritual of the Avesta. When men prayed to the sun, they held in their left hands a bouquet of palm, pomegranate, and tamarisk twigs, while the priests for the same purpose held a veil before their mouth (Spiegel, 'Iran. Alterth.,' 3:571, 572, in Smend), so that the bright rays of the sun might not be polluted by human breath. And this was done in the very temple of Jehovah by those who were polluting the whole land by their violence. The LXX. gives, as an explanation, ὡς μυκτηρίζοντες, as though the act was one of scornful pride (comp. Isaiah 65:5), the sign of a temper like that of the Pharisee as he looked upon the publican (Luke 18:11). Lightfoot takes the "nose" as the symbol of anger, and looks on the phrase as proverbial: "They add the twig to their anger, fuel to the fire;" but this has little to commend it. The word for "branch" is used in Ezekiel 15:2 and Numbers 13:23 for a vine branch.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And He said
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to me,
אֵלַי֮ (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“Do you see this,
הֲרָאִ֣יתָ (hă·rā·’î·ṯā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

son
בֶן־ (ḇen-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of man?
אָדָם֒ (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

Is it not enough for the house
לְבֵ֣ית (lə·ḇêṯ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of Judah
יְהוּדָ֔ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

to commit
מֵעֲשׂ֕וֹת (mê·‘ă·śō·wṯ)
Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

the abominations
הַתּוֹעֵב֖וֹת (hat·tō·w·‘ê·ḇō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8441: Something disgusting, an abhorrence, idolatry, an idol

they are practicing
עָֽשׂוּ־ (‘ā·śū-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

here,
פֹ֑ה (p̄ōh)
Adverb
Strong's 6311: This place, here

that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

they must also fill
מָלְא֨וּ (mā·lə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 4390: To fill, be full of

the land
הָאָ֜רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

with violence
חָמָ֗ס (ḥā·mās)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2555: Violence, wrong, by meton, unjust gain

and continually
וַיָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ (way·yā·šu·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

provoke Me to anger?
לְהַכְעִיסֵ֔נִי (lə·haḵ·‘î·sê·nî)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3707: To trouble, to grieve, rage, be indignant

Look, they are even
וְהִנָּ֛ם (wə·hin·nām)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

putting
שֹׁלְחִ֥ים (šō·lə·ḥîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

the branch
הַזְּמוֹרָ֖ה (haz·zə·mō·w·rāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2156: Branch, twig, shoot

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

their nose!
אַפָּֽם׃ (’ap·pām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 8:17 Then he said to me Have you (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
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