New English Translation
Ezekiel 8:12
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!’”
Ezekiel 8:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth.
- New International Version (NIV)He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord does not see us; the Lord has forsaken the land.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then he said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of pictures? For they say, 'The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols? For they say, ‘The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.’ ”
Context of Ezekiel 8:12
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. 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. He 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!’” 13He said to me, “You will see them practicing even greater abominations!” 14Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the Lord’s house. I noticed women sitting there weeping for Tammuz.
Read all of Ezekiel 8Ezekiel 8:12 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַי֮ הֲרָאִ֣יתָ בֶן־אָדָם֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר זִקְנֵ֤י בֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים בַּחֹ֔שֶׁךְ אִ֖ישׁ בְּחַדְרֵ֣י מַשְׂכִּית֑וֹ כִּ֣י אֹמְרִ֗ים אֵ֤ין יְהוָה֙ רֹאֶ֣ה אֹתָ֔נוּ עָזַ֥ב יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- he unto me, Sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- hast thou seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- what the ancientsזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
- of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- in the darkחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
- every manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- in the chambersחֶ֫דֶרcheder · chamberH2315
- of his imageryמַשְׂכִּיתmaώkîyth · figureH4906
- The Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- hath forsakenעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
- the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
Cross-references for Ezekiel 8:12
- Ezekiel 8:6He 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!”
- Ezekiel 8:11Seventy 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.
- Ezekiel 14:1Then some men from Israel’s elders came to me and sat down in front of me.
- Ezekiel 20:1In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to seek the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.
- Ephesians 5:12For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention.
- Ezekiel 8:7He brought me to the entrance of the court, and as I watched, I noticed a hole in the wall.
- Job 24:13There are those who rebel against the light; they do not know its ways and they do not stay on its paths.
- John 3:19Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.
- Ezekiel 9:9He said to me, “The sin of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of murder, and the city is full of corruption, for they say, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land, and the Lord does not see!’
- Job 22:12“Is not God on high in heaven? And see the lofty stars, how high they are!
- Psalms 73:11They say, “How does God know what we do? Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?”
- Psalms 94:7Then they say, “The Lord does not see this; the God of Jacob does not take notice of it.”
- Isaiah 29:15Those who try to hide their plans from the Lord are as good as dead, who do their work in secret and boast, “Who sees us? Who knows what we’re doing?”
Commentaries on Ezekiel 8:12
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12In the dark - Hidden in the secret places which the seer dug through the wall to discover. Chambers of his imagery - i. e., chambers painted with images.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 A secret place was, as it were, opened, where the prophet saw creatures painted on the walls, and a number of the elders of Israel worshipped before them. No superiority in worldly matters will preserve men from lust, or idolatries, when they are left to their own deceitful hearts; and those who are soon wearied in the service of God, often grudge no toil nor expense when following their superstitions. When hypocrites screen themselves behind…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-13The Lord saw the actions of Israel's leaders and shared this with his prophet (compare Luke 12:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. every man in ... chambers of ... imagery--The elders ("ancients") are here the representatives of the people, rather than to be regarded literally. Mostly, the leaders of heathen superstitions laughed at them secretly, while publicly professing them in order to keep the people in subjection. Here what is meant is that the people generally addicted themselves to secret idolatry, led on by their elders; there is no doubt, also, allusion to the…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 8:12
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries