NET Bible | New Living Translation |
1In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth of the month, as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting in front of me, the hand of the sovereign LORD seized me. | 1Then on September 17, during the sixth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, while the leaders of Judah were in my home, the Sovereign LORD took hold of me. |
2As I watched, I noticed a form that appeared to be a man. From his waist downward was something like fire, and from his waist upward something like a brightness, like an amber glow. | 2I saw a figure that appeared to be a man. From what appeared to be his waist down, he looked like a burning flame. From the waist up he looked like gleaming amber. |
3He stretched out the form of a hand and grabbed me by a lock of hair on my head. Then a wind lifted me up between the earth and sky and brought me to Jerusalem by means of divine visions, to the door of the inner gate which faces north where the statue which provokes to jealousy was located. | 3He reached out what seemed to be a hand and took me by the hair. Then the Spirit lifted me up into the sky and transported me to Jerusalem in a vision from God. I was taken to the north gate of the inner courtyard of the Temple, where there is a large idol that has made the LORD very jealous. |
4Then I perceived that the glory of the God of Israel was there, as in the vision I had seen earlier in the valley. | 4Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel was there, just as I had seen it before in the valley. |
5He said to me, "Son of man, look up toward the north." So I looked up toward the north, and I noticed to the north of the altar gate was this statue of jealousy at the entrance. | 5Then the LORD said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and there to the north, beside the entrance to the gate near the altar, stood the idol that had made the LORD so jealous. |
6He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing--the great abominations that the people of Israel are practicing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see greater abominations than these!" | 6“Son of man,” he said, “do you see what they are doing? Do you see the detestable sins the people of Israel are committing to drive me from my Temple? But come, and you will see even more detestable sins than these!” |
7He brought me to the entrance of the court, and as I watched, I noticed a hole in the wall. | 7Then he brought me to the door of the Temple courtyard, where I could see a hole in the wall. |
8He said to me, "Son of man, dig into the wall." So I dug into the wall and discovered a doorway. | 8He said to me, “Now, son of man, dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and found a hidden doorway. |
9He said to me, "Go in and see the evil abominations they are practicing here." | 9“Go in,” he said, “and see the wicked and detestable sins they are committing in there!” |
10So I went in and looked. I noticed every figure of creeping thing and beast--detestable images--and every idol of the house of Israel, engraved on the wall all around. | 10So 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. |
11Seventy men from the elders of the house of Israel (with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them) were standing in front of them, each with a censer in his hand, and fragrant vapors from a cloud of incense were swirling upward. | 11Seventy leaders of Israel were standing there with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan in the center. Each of them held an incense burner, from which a cloud of incense rose above their heads. |
12He said to me, "Do you see, son of man, what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in the chamber of his idolatrous images? For they think, 'The LORD does not see us! The LORD has abandoned the land!'" | 12Then the LORD said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the leaders of Israel are doing with their idols in dark rooms? They are saying, ‘The LORD doesn’t see us; he has deserted our land!’” |
13He said to me, "You will see them practicing even greater abominations!" | 13Then the LORD added, “Come, and I will show you even more detestable sins than these!” |
14Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the LORD's house. I noticed women sitting there weeping for Tammuz. | 14He brought me to the north gate of the LORD’s Temple, and some women were sitting there, weeping for the god Tammuz. |
15He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? You will see even greater abominations than these!" | 15“Have you seen this?” he asked. “But I will show you even more detestable sins than these!” |
16Then he brought me to the inner court of the LORD's house. Right there at the entrance to the LORD's temple, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the LORD's temple, facing east--they were worshiping the sun toward the east! | 16Then he brought me into the inner courtyard of the LORD’s Temple. At the entrance to the sanctuary, between the entry room and the bronze altar, there were about twenty-five men with their backs to the sanctuary of the LORD. They were facing east, bowing low to the ground, worshiping the sun! |
17He 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! | 17“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? |
18Therefore I will act with fury! My eye will not pity them nor will I spare them. When they have shouted in my ears, I will not listen to them." | 18Therefore, I will respond in fury. I will neither pity nor spare them. And though they cry for mercy, I will not listen.” |
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