Keraia
Ezekiel 8

Ezekiel 8:11

The Vision of Idolatry in the Temple · Ezekiel 8:1–18
Read Ezekiel 8

Translations

Modern
Before them stood seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had a censer in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense was rising.
Traditional
And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.
Literal
…and seventy men from the elders of the house of Israel—and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing in their midst—standing before them; and each man his censer in his hand, and the fragrance of a cloud of incense was rising up.
Latin
…et septuaginta viri de senioribus domus Israël: et Jezonias filius Saphan stabat in medio eorum stantium ante picturas: et unusquisque habebat thuribulum in manu sua, et vapor nebulæ de thure consurgebat.

Original

Hebrew
English
Before them stood seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had a censer in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense was rising.

Notes

Ezekiel 8:11

  • These 70 leaders are very different from the 70 leaders from the time of Moses. Those leaders had the special privilege of seeing God (Exodus 24:1–11). They also received the same Spirit that was on Moses (Numbers 11:16–30).

    Jaazaniah led this group. Ironically, he was the son of Shaphan. Shaphan had been a faithful leader who helped carry out King Josiah’s reforms (2 Kings 22:3–14).

  • The incense they burned was meant to protect them from demonic spirits (evil spiritual beings). Instead of protecting them, it brought God’s judgment on the land.

Ezekiel 8:3–16

God showed Ezekiel four scenes of increasing abomination (a deeply offensive act). In each scene, the people of Israel were worshiping false gods inside the Lord’s temple.

Jerusalem’s defilement (moral and spiritual uncleanness) was complete. Idolatry (the worship of false gods) took place in many parts of the temple. Different groups of people were involved. They worshiped different gods. These gods came from many foreign cultures.

This was not one small sin. It was a mixture of many false religions brought together in one place. One abomination was added to another.

Ezekiel 8:1–18

In a vision, the prophet Ezekiel saw four ways the people defiled their land. This vision explains why the Lord's presence left his sanctuary.

Ezekiel 8:1–11:25

This section describes how the people defiled (made unclean by sin) the temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 8). Because of this sin, the Lord left the temple. After he left, the city and the temple were destroyed (9:1–11:13).

At first, this sounds like only bad news. But for those already living in exile, it was also good news. The Lord was not limited to the temple in Jerusalem. He would come to be with his people in exile.

By coming to dwell with them, the Lord showed that the exiles were not forgotten. They were the ones who carried hope for the future of God’s people.

Events

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes Jaazaniah: Israelite elder; participated in idolatry in the temple Shaphan: Father of Jaazaniah, an idolatrous worshipper

Glossary

Ezekiel, Book of Jaazaniah Shaphan

Topics

Censer used in Idolatrous Rites Censers: Often Used in Idolatrous Worship Government: Mosaic: Corrupt Idolatry: Warnings Against, and Punishments of Incense: Offered in Idolatrous Worship Jaazaniah: An Idolatrous Zealot Shaphan: Father of Jaazaniah Visions: To Ezekiel (See Chapters 10, 40-48 of Ezekiel)