1In the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, as I was sitting in my house and the elders of Judah were sitting in front of me, the hand of the Lord Yahweh came upon me there.
2Then I looked and saw something that looked like fire. From his waist down, it was fire, and from his waist up, it was bright, like glowing metal.
3He reached out what looked like a hand and grabbed a lock of my hair. The Spirit lifted me between the earth and the sky and carried me in a vision to Jerusalem. He brought me to the door of the gate of the inner courtyard that faces north, where there was a statue that provokes jealousy.
4The glorious presence of the God of Israel was there, just as I had seen it in the plain.
5Then he said to me, "Son of man, look north now." So I looked north, and to the north of the altar gate, I saw this statue that provokes jealousy right at the entrance.
6He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing? Do you see the terrible, disgusting things the people of Israel are doing here? They are making me leave my holy place. But you will see even more terrible things."
7He brought me to the courtyard door, and when I looked, I saw a hole in the wall.
8Then he said to me, "Son of man, dig in the wall now." When I dug in the wall, I found a door.
9He told me, "Go in and see the evil, disgusting things they are doing here."
10So I went in and looked. I saw every kind of crawling creature, disgusting animals, and all the idols of the people of Israel drawn all over the wall.
11Seventy elders of the people of Israel were standing in front of them. Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was among them. Each man had his incense burner in his hand, and the smoke from the incense rose up.
12Then he said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of images? They say, 'Yahweh doesn't see us. Yahweh has abandoned the land.'"
13He also said to me, "You will again see even more terrible, disgusting things they are doing."
14Then he brought me to the north gate of Yahweh's house, and I saw women sitting there, crying for Tammuz.
15Then he said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this? You will see even more disgusting things than these."
16He led me into the inner courtyard of Yahweh's house. At the entrance to Yahweh's temple, between the porch and the altar, I saw about twenty-five men. Their backs were to Yahweh's temple, and their faces were to the east. They were bowing down and worshiping the sun toward the east.
17Then he said to me, "Son of man, do you see this? Is it a minor thing for the people of Judah to do the detestable things they are doing here? They have filled the land with violence and have repeatedly provoked my anger. Look, they are putting the branch to their nose (showing contempt)."
18Therefore, I will also act with anger. I will not show pity or spare them. Even if they cry loudly in my ears, I will not listen to them."