EZEKIEL'S SECOND VISION OF GOD (8.1—10.22)
Idolatry in Jerusalem
1 On the fifth day of the sixth month of the sixth year of our exile, the leaders of the exiles from Judah were sitting in my house with me. Suddenly the power of the Sovereign Lord came on me. 2 I looked up and saw a vision of a fiery human form. From the waist down his body looked like fire, and from the waist up he was shining like polished bronze. 3 He reached out what seemed to be a hand and grabbed me by the hair. Then in this vision God's spirit lifted me high in the air and took me to Jerusalem. He took me to the inner entrance of the north gate of the Temple, where there was an idol that was an outrage to God.
4 There I saw the dazzling light that shows the presence of Israel's God, just as I had seen it when I was by the Chebar River. 5 God said to me, “Mortal man, look toward the north.” I looked, and there near the altar by the entrance of the gateway I saw the idol that was an outrage to God.
6 God said to me, “Mortal man, do you see what is happening? Look at the disgusting things the people of Israel are doing here, driving me farther and farther away from my holy place. You will see even more disgraceful things than this.”
7 He took me to the entrance of the outer courtyard and showed me a hole in the wall. 8 He said, “Mortal man, break through the wall here.” I broke through it and found a door. 9 He told me, “Go in and look at the evil, disgusting things they are doing there.” 10 So I went in and looked. The walls were covered with drawings of snakes and other unclean animals, and of the other things which the Israelites were worshiping. 11 Seventy Israelite leaders were there, including Jaazaniah son of Shaphan. Each one was holding an incense burner, and smoke was rising from the incense. 12 God asked me, “Mortal man, do you see what the Israelite leaders are doing in secret? They are all worshiping in a room full of images. Their excuse is: ‘The Lord doesn't see us! He has abandoned the country.’”
13 Then the Lord said to me, “You are going to see them do even more disgusting things than that.” 14 So he took me to the north gate of the Temple and showed me women weeping over the death of the god Tammuz.
15 He asked, “Mortal man, do you see that? You will see even more disgusting things.” 16 So he took me to the inner courtyard of the Temple. There near the entrance of the sanctuary, between the altar and the porch, were about twenty-five men. They had turned their backs to the sanctuary and were bowing low toward the east, worshiping the rising sun.
17 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! 18 They will feel all the force of my anger. I will not spare them or show them any mercy. They will shout prayers to me as loud as they can, but I will not listen to them.”
1 Notika pēc tam sestā gada sestā mēneša piektajā dienā, kad es sēdēju savā namā un Jūdas vecaji bija pie manis, ka Tā Kunga roka krita uz mani. 2 Es pēkšņi redzēju tēlu, kam bija cilvēka izskats. No saviem gurniem uz leju tas bija kā uguns un no saviem gurniem uz augšu kā spilgtas debess gaismas atspīdums, kā mirdzoša metāla spožums. 3 Tad viņš izstiepa it kā roku un satvēra mani pie manas galvas matiem. Gara spēks pacēla mani starp zemi un debesīm un dievišķā parādībā aiznesa mani uz Jeruzālemi pie iekšējā pagalma vārtiem uz ziemeļu pusi, kur stāvēja tas elka tēls, kas To Kungu kaitināja un sāpināja. 4 Un redzi, tur manā priekšā atklājās godība, kā es to jau biju redzējis ielejā. 5 Un Viņš man sacīja: "Cilvēka bērns, pacel savas acis uz ziemeļu pusi!" Un, kad es pacēlu savas acis uz ziemeļu pusi, es redzēju minēto elka tēlu stāvam uz ziemeļiem no altāra vārtiem pie ieejas. 6 Un Viņš man sacīja: "Cilvēka bērns, vai tu redzi, ko tie dara? Tā ir negantība, ko Israēla nams dara, lai Mani aizdzītu projām no Manas svētās vietas. Bet tu redzēsi vēl lielākas negantības." 7 Tad Viņš mani veda pie ieejas pagalmā, un, kad es apskatījos visapkārt, es tur ievēroju sienā caurumu. 8 Un Viņš sacīja: "Cilvēka bērns, izspraucies caur šo sienu!" Un, kad es izspraucos, es ieraudzīju tur durvis. 9 Tad Viņš man sacīja: "Ej iekšā un apskaties tās šausmīgās negantības, ko tie šeit dara." 10 Kad es iegāju, es redzēju tur dažādu rāpuļu un nešķīstu dzīvnieku un arī dažādu Israēla nama elku attēlus, kas visap kārt bija uzzīmēti uz sienas. 11 To priekšā stāvēja septiņdesmit vīru no Israēla nama vecajiem, viņu starpā Jaāsanja, Safana dēls. Katram bija rokā kvēpināmais trauks, smaržīgu kvēpināmo zāļu dūmu mākonis pacēlās uz augšu. 12 Tad Viņš man sacīja: "Vai tu redzēji, cilvēka bērns, ko Israēla nama vecaji šeit dara tumsā, ikviens savā elka telpā? Jo tie saka: Tas Kungs mūs neredz, Tas Kungs ir atstājis šo zemi." 13 Tad Viņš vēl man sacīja: "Tu redzēsi vēl lielākas negantības, ko tie dara." 14 Tad Viņš mani veda pie Tā Kunga nama ziemeļu vārtiem. Tur sēdēja sievas, kas apraudāja Tammusu. 15 Un Viņš man sacīja: "Vai tu to redzi, cilvēka bērns? Bet tu redzēsi vēl lielākas negantības nekā šo." 16 Tad Viņš veda mani Tā Kunga nama iekšējā pagalmā. Tur es redzēju - pie ieejas starp priekštelpu un altāri stāvēja kādi divdesmit pieci vīri; tie, pagriezuši muguru pret Tā Kunga Templi un vaigu pret rītiem, pielūdza sauli. 17 Un Viņš man sacīja: "Vai tu to redzi, cilvēka bērns? Vai tad Jūdas namam nepietiek šo negantību, ko tie dara, ka tie vēl pilda visu zemi ar varas darbiem un vienmēr Manī rada dusmas? Un nu skaties: viņi tur zaļus zarus sev pie deguna. 18 Tādēļ Es celšos pret tiem ar bardzību, Mana acs tos neuzlūkos ar līdzcietību, un Es tos nesaudzēšu. Un, kaut tie ar stipru balsi kliegtu Man ausīs, Es tos tomēr neuzklausīšu."
