8 Then in the middle of the sixth year,[fn] as I sat in my house, and Yehudah’s (Judah’s) elders sat in front of me, my master Yahweh’s hands fell on me there again. 2 I looked, and wow—there was something that looked a bit like a man. From his hips downward there appeared to be fire, and from his hips upward there appeared to be something shining like glowing metal.[ref] 3 Then he reached out something in the shape of a hand and took me by my hair—the Spirit lifted me up between earth and the heavens, and in visions from God, he took me to Yerushalem (Jerusalem), to the entrance of the inner northern gate, where the idol was that made Yahweh very jealous.

4 Then wow, the brilliant light of Yisrael’s (Israel’s) god was there, just like the vision that I’d seen on the plain.[ref] 5 Then he told me, “Son of humanity, look towards the north.” So I looked towards the north, and to the north of the gate leading to the altar—there in the entrance—was the idol that caused the jealousy.

6 So he told me, “Son of humanity, do you see what they’re doing? Those are horribly disgusting things that the Israeli people are doing here to drive me far from my own sanctuary. But you’ll see even more disgusting things soon.”

7 Then he took me to the courtyard doorway, and I looked, and there was a hole in the wall. 8 He told me, “Son of humanity, dig into this wall.” So I dug into the wall, and discovered a doorway. 9 Then he told me, “Go and see the disgustingly wicked things that they’re doing there.” 10 So I went through and looked, and oh dear, there were shapes of every creeping thing and detestable creature. Pictures of all the Israeli people’s idols were carved into the wall all around. 11 Seventy elders from the Israeli people were there, and Shafan’s son Ya’azanyah was standing in the middle of them. They were standing in front of the images, and each man was holding his incense burner so that the smell of the cloud of incense went up. 12 Then he asked me, “Son of humanity, do you see what the Israeli elders are doing in the dark? Each one does this in his idol’s hidden room, because they say, ‘Yahweh doesn’t even notice us. Yahweh’s abandoned this country.’ ”

13 Then he told me, “Turn again and see the other terribly disgusting things that they’re doing,” 14 and he took me to the gate at the northern entrance of Yahweh’s temple, and oh dear—there were some women sitting there mourning for the Babylonian Tamuz deity. 15 Then he said to me, “Son of humanity, do you see that? Turn again, and you’ll see even more disgusting things than those.”

16 Then he took me into the inner courtyard of Yahweh’s house, and oh no—at the entrance of Yahweh’s temple between the porch and the altar, there were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple and their faces toward the east where they were worshipping the sun.

17 He asked me, “Son of humanity, do you see that? Is it insignificant that Yehudah’s (Judah’s) people do those disgusting things that they’re doing here? They’ve filled the land with violence and keep provoking me to anger and mocking me. 18 So I will also do something to them—I won’t have compassion and I won’t spare them. Even if they cry loudly in my ears, I won’t hear them.”