God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 8:5
5God said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked toward the north, and there in the entrance to the north gate beside the altar, I saw the idol that stirs up ⌞God’s⌟ anger.
Ezekiel 8:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.
- New International Version (NIV)Then he said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol of jealousy.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then he said to me, "Son of man, lift up your eyes now toward the north." So I lifted up my eyes toward the north, and behold, north of the altar gate, in the entrance, was this image of jealousy.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then He said to me, “Son of man, lift your eyes now toward the north.” So I lifted my eyes toward the north, and there, north of the altar gate, was this image of jealousy in the entrance.
Context of Ezekiel 8:5
3It stretched out what looked like a hand and grabbed me by the hair on my head. In these visions from God, the Spirit carried me between heaven and earth. He took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance to the north gate of the inner courtyard of the temple. That was where an idol that stirs up ⌞God’s⌟ anger was located. 4There I saw the glory of Israel’s God as I did in the vision that I saw in the valley. God said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked toward the north, and there in the entrance to the north gate beside the altar, I saw the idol that stirs up ⌞God’s⌟ anger. 6He asked me, “Son of man, do you see what the people of Israel are doing? The people of Israel are doing very disgusting things here, things that will force me to go far away from my holy place. But you will see even more disgusting things.” 7Then he took me to the entrance of the courtyard. As I looked, I saw a hole in the wall.
Read all of Ezekiel 8Ezekiel 8:5 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם שָׂא־נָ֥א עֵינֶ֖יךָ דֶּ֣רֶךְ צָפ֑וֹנָה וָאֶשָּׂ֤א עֵינַי֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ צָפ֔וֹנָה וְהִנֵּ֤ה מִצָּפוֹן֙ לְשַׁ֣עַר הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ סֵ֛מֶל הַקִּנְאָ֥ה הַזֶּ֖ה בַּבִּאָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- he unto me, Sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- lift upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: lookH5375
- thine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- now the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: directionH1870
- toward the northצָפוֹןtsâphôn tsâphôn · northH6828
- at the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- of the altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- this imageסֶ֫מֶלsemel sêmel · idolH5566
- of jealousyקִנְאָהqin'âh · jealousyH7068
- in the entryבִּאָהbe'âh · entranceH872
Cross-references for Ezekiel 8:5
- Jeremiah 3:2“Look at the bare hills, and see. You have had sex with men in every place. You sat by the roadside waiting for them like a nomad in the desert. You have polluted the land with your prostitution and wickedness.
- Zechariah 5:5The angel who was speaking with me came forward. He said, “Look up, and see what’s coming.”
- Ezekiel 8:3It stretched out what looked like a hand and grabbed me by the hair on my head. In these visions from God, the Spirit carried me between heaven and earth. He took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance to the north gate of the inner courtyard of the temple. That was where an idol that stirs up ⌞God’s⌟ anger was located.
- Psalms 48:2Its beautiful peak is the joy of the whole earth. Mount Zion is on the northern ridge. It is the city of the great king.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 8:5
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-6In the first abomination, the large idol was probably an image of the Canaanite goddess Asherah. The people had placed it at the gate to guard the city from attack. Most of Jerusalem’s enemies had attacked from the north. This may explain why the idol stood at the north gate. The people believed this false goddess would protect them. This idol made the Lord very jealous. The Lord alone deserved honor and worship as Israel’s protector (Psalm 121:1–4). The…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. gate of ... altar--the principal avenue to the altar of burnt offering; as to the northern position, see 2Ki 16:14. Ahaz had removed the brazen altar from the front of the Lord's house to the north of the altar which he had himself erected. The locality of the idol before God's own altar enhances the heinousness of the sin.Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 8:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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