
Text -- Ezekiel 8:16 (NET)




Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics



collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
The innermost, that which was next the temple, called here the Lord's house.

Wesley: Eze 8:16 - -- Before he saw abominations in the gates of the courts, now he is come to the very house itself.
Before he saw abominations in the gates of the courts, now he is come to the very house itself.

Wesley: Eze 8:16 - -- That stately porch, beautified with the curious and mighty brass pillars, Jachin and Boaz.
That stately porch, beautified with the curious and mighty brass pillars, Jachin and Boaz.

Wesley: Eze 8:16 - -- The brazen altar for burnt-offerings, which was placed in the court before the front of the temple, and is here represented in its proper place.
The brazen altar for burnt-offerings, which was placed in the court before the front of the temple, and is here represented in its proper place.

Wesley: Eze 8:16 - -- In imitation of the Persians, Egyptians, and other eastern idolaters; these Jews turn their back on God who created the sun, and worship the creature ...
In imitation of the Persians, Egyptians, and other eastern idolaters; these Jews turn their back on God who created the sun, and worship the creature in contempt of the Creator.
JFB -> Eze 8:15-16; Eze 8:16
JFB: Eze 8:15-16 - -- The next are "greater abominations," not in respect to the idolatry, but in respect to the place and persons committing it. In "the inner court," imme...
The next are "greater abominations," not in respect to the idolatry, but in respect to the place and persons committing it. In "the inner court," immediately before the door of the temple of Jehovah, between the porch and the altar, where the priests advanced only on extraordinary occasions (Joe 2:17), twenty-five men (the leaders of the twenty-four courses or orders of the priests, 1Ch 24:18-19, with the high priest, "the princes of the sanctuary," Isa 43:28), representing the whole priesthood, as the seventy elders represented the people, stood with their backs turned on the temple, and their faces towards the east, making obeisance to the rising sun (contrast 1Ki 8:44). Sun-worship came from the Persians, who made the sun the eye of their god Ormuzd. It existed as early as Job (Job 31:26; compare Deu 4:19). Josiah could only suspend it for the time of his reign (2Ki 23:5, 2Ki 23:11); it revived under his successors.

JFB: Eze 8:16 - -- In the Hebrew a corrupt form is used to express Ezekiel's sense of the foul corruption of such worship.
In the Hebrew a corrupt form is used to express Ezekiel's sense of the foul corruption of such worship.
Clarke -> Eze 8:16
Clarke: Eze 8:16 - -- Five and twenty men - These most probably represented the twenty-four courses of the priests, with the high priest for the twenty-fifth. This was th...
Five and twenty men - These most probably represented the twenty-four courses of the priests, with the high priest for the twenty-fifth. This was the Persian worship, as their turning their faces to the east plainly shows they were worshipping the rising sun.
Defender -> Eze 8:16
Defender: Eze 8:16 - -- In effect, these worshipers had chosen to worship Satan, under the figure of the sun god, turning their backs on the temple of the true God."
In effect, these worshipers had chosen to worship Satan, under the figure of the sun god, turning their backs on the temple of the true God."
TSK -> Eze 8:16
TSK: Eze 8:16 - -- the inner : Eze 10:3, Eze 40:28, Eze 43:5, Eze 45:19
at the door : 2Ki 16:14; 2Ch 7:7; Joe 2:17
about : Eze 11:1
with their : Eze 23:35; 1Ki 8:29; 2Ch...
the inner : Eze 10:3, Eze 40:28, Eze 43:5, Eze 45:19
at the door : 2Ki 16:14; 2Ch 7:7; Joe 2:17
about : Eze 11:1
with their : Eze 23:35; 1Ki 8:29; 2Ch 29:6; Jer 2:27, Jer 32:33
their faces : Deu 4:19, Deu 17:3; 2Ki 23:5, 2Ki 23:11; Job 31:26-28; Jer 44:17; Act 7:42, Act 7:43
and they : It seems that the Jews had incorporated every species of idolatry into their worship, Egyptian, Phoenician, and Persian; for this evidently was the Magian worship of the sun.

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Eze 8:16
Barnes: Eze 8:16 - -- The inner court - The court of the priests. About five and twenty men - Rather, as it were five etc. This was the number of the heads of ...
The inner court - The court of the priests.
About five and twenty men - Rather, as it were five etc. This was the number of the heads of the 24 courses (shifts) with the high priest presiding over them. These then were the representatives of the priests, as the seventy were of the people. In the temple the seat of the Divine Majesty was at the west, perhaps appointed for this very purpose, to guard against the idolatrous adoration of the rising sun. Therefore the idolatrous priests must in worshipping the false sun-god turn their backs upon the True. The worship of the heavenly bodies was one of the earliest forms of idolatry Job 31:26-27 and was expressly forbidden in the Law Deu 17:3. In its earliest form, it was conducted without the intervention of images, the adoration being addressed to the heavenly bodies themselves: this form, continued among the Persians, seems to have been introduced afresh into Jerusalem at the time of Ezekiel. Compare, also, 2Ki 23:11-12. The images (compare Eze 6:4, Eze 6:6) were probably columns set up in honor of the sun, not images in human form. This simpler mode of sunworship was soon changed. The sun, or the god supposed to preside over it, was represented as a person, whose image was set up and adored.
Poole -> Eze 8:16
Poole: Eze 8:16 - -- The inner court the inmost, that which was next to the temple, called here the Lord’ s house.
At the door of the temple: before he saw abomina...
The inner court the inmost, that which was next to the temple, called here the Lord’ s house.
At the door of the temple: before he saw abominations in the gates of the courts, now he is come to the very house itself.
The porch that stately, large porch, beautified with the high, curious, and mighty brass pillars, Jachin and Boaz, of which see 1Ki 6:3 7:15,21 .
The altar the brazen altar for burnt-offerings, which was placed in the court before the front of the temple, and is here represented in its proper place, 2Ki 16:14 . This is not contradictory to Eze 8:5 , which speaks of the place where Ahaz had wickedly placed the altar, but this, Eze 8:16 , speaks of the same altar, as supposing it to be where it ought, as God commanded it should be, and Solomon placed it, 2Ch 8:12 .
About five and twenty an indefinite and undetermined number.
Five and twenty men either some principal men, or else some priests. If these, the greater sin in them to turn idolaters; if the other, the idolatry committed by them in a place they should not have entered appears presumptuous and greatly wicked.
With their backs toward the temple in contempt of God, with an open and designed abrenunciation of God and his worship.
Worshipped the sun: though God had prohibited this, Deu 17:3 , with Deu 4:17-19 ; yet, in imitation of’ the Chaldees, Persians, Egyptians, Phoenicians, and the Eastern idolaters, these Jews turn their back on God, who created the sun, and worship the creature in contempt of the Creator.
Haydock -> Eze 8:16
Haydock: Eze 8:16 - -- Men. Twelve priests and as many Levites officiated daily. The high priest made the twenty fifth, 1 Paralipomenon xxiv. ---
Sun. They prayed to G...
Men. Twelve priests and as many Levites officiated daily. The high priest made the twenty fifth, 1 Paralipomenon xxiv. ---
Sun. They prayed to God, turning their faces to the west: but here they despised him, and adored the sun, Job xxxi. 26. (Calmet) ---
This posture was common. Illi ad surgentem conversi lumina solum. (Virgil, ֶneid xii.) (Serv.) ---
Christians did the like, though the reason is not ascertained. (Calmet) ---
It might be because Christ is the orient, and not to resemble the Jews. There was no danger of their being taken for idolaters. (Haydock)
Gill -> Eze 8:16
Gill: Eze 8:16 - -- And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house,.... The court of the priests, where they offered sacrifice, and into which none might come...
And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house,.... The court of the priests, where they offered sacrifice, and into which none might come but themselves:
and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar; the porch that led into the temple, and the brasen altar, the altar of burnt offerings, which was a very sacred place, and reckoned more holy than the court of the priests g.
were about five and twenty men; the number, more or less, not being exactly known; who they were, whether the priests or princes of the people, is not certain; probably some of both:
with their backs towards the temple of the Lord; that is, the most holy place, which they were obliged to, in order to do what is afterwards affirmed of them; for the sanctuary was built to the west, that in their worship the Jews might not look to the east, as the Gentiles did; wherefore these men, that they might imitate the Gentiles in their idolatry, turned their backs to the most holy place; which is an aggravation of their impiety; casting the utmost contempt on God, his worship, and the place of it:
and their faces towards the east: when the sun rises:
and they worshipped the sun towards the east; as many nations did, though forbidden the Jews by an express law of God, Deu 4:19; yet this they fell into, and had horses and chariots devoted to this idolatry; see 2Ki 21:3. The word rendered "worshipped" is compounded of two words; one signifying to "corrupt", the other to "worship": showing that, by worshipping the sun, they corrupted themselves, and the house of God; and so the Targum renders it,
"and, lo, they corrupted themselves, worshipping in the east the sun;''
and so it is explained in the Jerusalem Talmud,
"they corrupted the temple, and worshipped the sun;''
but Kimchi thinks the word h consists of the verb in the past tense, and of the participle; and that the sense is, when the prophet saw the men worshipping the sun to the east, as amazed at it, put this question to those that went in, "do ye worship also?" i so Ben Melech.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Eze 8:1-18
TSK Synopsis: Eze 8:1-18 - --1 Ezekiel, in a vision of God at Jerusalem,5 is shewn the image of jealousy;7 the chambers of imagery;13 the mourners for Tammuz;16 the worshippers to...
MHCC -> Eze 8:13-18
MHCC: Eze 8:13-18 - --The yearly lamenting for Tammuz was attended with infamous practices; and the worshippers of the sun here described, are supposed to have been priests...
Matthew Henry -> Eze 8:13-18
Matthew Henry: Eze 8:13-18 - -- Here we have, I. More and greater abominations discovered to the prophet. He thought that what he had seen was bad enough and yet (Eze 8:13): Turn ...
Keil-Delitzsch -> Eze 8:16-18
Keil-Delitzsch: Eze 8:16-18 - --
Fourth Abomination: Worship of the Sun by the Priests
Eze 8:16. And He took me into the inner court of the house of Jehovah, and behold, at the en...
Constable: Eze 4:1--24:27 - --II. Oracles of judgment on Judah and Jerusalem for sin chs. 4-24
This section of the book contains prophecies th...

Constable: Eze 8:1--11:25 - --B. The vision of the departure of Yahweh's glory chs. 8-11
These chapters all concern one vision that Ez...

Constable: Eze 8:1-18 - --1. The idolatry of the house of Israel ch. 8
This chapter contrasts the glory of God with the id...
