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神殿で行われる偶像礼拝

それから、エホヤキン王の捕囚六年目の第六の月の五日のこと、私が家でユダの長老たちと話していると、神である主の力が私に臨みました。 私は人の姿のようなものを見ました。腰から下は火で、上は琥珀色(黄褐色)に輝いています。 その方が手の形をしたものを伸ばして私の髪の毛をつかむと、御霊が私を宙に持ち上げ、エルサレムの北の門の入口に連れて行ったのです。そこに、主の激しい怒りを引き起こした偶像がありました。 すると突然、前に谷間で見たのと同じようなイスラエルの神の栄光が現れました。

その方は私に、「人の子よ、北の方を見なさい」と言ったので、そちらを見ると、祭壇の門の北にある入口に偶像が立っているではありませんか。 その方はさらに言いました。「人の子よ、彼らのしていることが見えるか。わたしを神殿から追い出すために、イスラエルの民がそこで犯している大きな罪が見えるか。さあ、もっと大きな罪を見せよう。」

こう言うと、その方は私を神殿の庭の入口に連れて行きました。そこの壁に穴がありました。 するとその方が、「さあ、壁を掘り抜くのだ」と命じたので、そのとおりにすると、隠れた部屋に通じる入口があるではありませんか。 「入って行って、そこで行われている邪悪なことを見なさい。」

10 入ってみて驚きました。あらゆる種類の蛇やとかげ、おぞましい獣の絵が、イスラエルの民が礼拝する各種の偶像とともに壁一面に描かれているのです。 11 そこに、イスラエルの七十人の長老が、シャファンの子ヤアザヌヤとともに立ち、それらの絵を拝んでいます。長老たちはそれぞれ香をたく香炉を持っており、一同の頭上には、香の濃い煙が雲のように立ちこめていました。 12 「人の子よ、イスラエルの長老たちが自分から進んでしていることを、よく見たか。彼らは、『主は見ていない。主は去って行った』とうそぶいている。 13 さあ、もっと大きな罪を見せよう。」

14 その方は私を、神殿の北の門に連れて行きました。そこには女たちが座って、異教の神タンムズのために泣いていました。 15 「これを見たか。しかし、もっと大きな悪を見せよう。」

16 こう言うと、その方は私を神殿の内庭に連れて行きました。そこでは、神殿の玄関と青銅の祭壇との間に、二十五人ばかりの人が神殿に背を向けて立ち、東を向いて太陽を拝んでいたのです。 17 「これを見たか。こんな恐るべき罪を犯して民全体を偶像礼拝に導き、わたしを軽んじて、ますますわたしを怒らせるようなことは、ユダの人々にとって取るに足りないことなのだろうか。 18 それで、わたしも激しい憤りをもって彼らをあしらう。少しもあわれまず、惜しみもしない。彼らがあわれみを求めて叫んでも、耳をふさいでいよう。」

Idolatry in the Temple

In the sixth year, in the sixth month on the fifth day, while I was sitting in my house and the elders(A) of Judah were sitting before(B) me, the hand of the Sovereign Lord came on me there.(C) I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man.[a] From what appeared to be his waist down he was like fire, and from there up his appearance was as bright as glowing metal.(D) He stretched out what looked like a hand(E) and took me by the hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up(F) between earth and heaven and in visions(G) of God he took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court,(H) where the idol that provokes to jealousy(I) stood. And there before me was the glory(J) of the God of Israel, as in the vision I had seen in the plain.(K)

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(L) of jealousy.

And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing—the utterly detestable(M) things the Israelites are doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary?(N) But you will see things that are even more detestable.”

Then he brought me to the entrance to the court. I looked, and I saw a hole in the wall. He said to me, “Son of man, now dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and saw a doorway there.

And he said to me, “Go in and see the wicked and detestable things they are doing here.” 10 So I went in and looked, and I saw portrayed all over the walls(O) all kinds of crawling things and unclean(P) animals and all the idols of Israel.(Q) 11 In front of them stood seventy elders(R) of Israel, and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was standing among them. Each had a censer(S) in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense(T) was rising.(U)

12 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness,(V) each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord does not see(W) us; the Lord has forsaken the land.’” 13 Again, he said, “You will see them doing things that are even more detestable.”

14 Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the Lord, and I saw women sitting there, mourning the god Tammuz.(X) 15 He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? You will see things that are even more detestable than this.”

16 He then brought me into the inner court(Y) of the house of the Lord, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar,(Z) were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun(AA) in the east.(AB)

17 He said to me, “Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial matter for the people of Judah to do the detestable things(AC) they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence(AD) and continually arouse my anger?(AE) Look at them putting the branch to their nose! 18 Therefore I will deal with them in anger;(AF) I will not look on them with pity(AG) or spare them. Although they shout in my ears, I will not listen(AH) to them.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 8:2 Or saw a fiery figure

And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me.

Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.

And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.

And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.

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.

He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.

And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.

Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.

And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.

10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.

11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.

12 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.

13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.

14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.

15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.

16 And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.

17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.

18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.