³⁸ They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary^(A) and desecrated my Sabbaths.^(B)

¹³ “‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled^(A) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws^(B)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.^(C) So I said I would pour out my wrath^(D) on them and destroy^(E) them in the wilderness.^(F)

²⁴ because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees^(A) and desecrated my Sabbaths,^(B) and their eyes lusted after^(C) their parents’ idols.^(D)

⁷ He took the carved Asherah pole^(A) he had made and put it in the temple,^(B) of which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name^(C) forever.

⁸ You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths.^(A)

⁵ 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^(A) of jealousy.

⁶ And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing—the utterly detestable^(B) things the Israelites are doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary?^(C) But you will see things that are even more detestable.”

⁷ Then he brought me to the entrance to the court. I looked, and I saw a hole in the wall. ⁸ He said to me, “Son of man, now dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and saw a doorway there.

⁹ 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^(D) all kinds of crawling things and unclean^(E) animals and all the idols of Israel.^{(F) 11} In front of them stood seventy elders^(G) of Israel, and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was standing among them. Each had a censer^(H) in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense^(I) was rising.^(J)

¹² He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness,^(K) each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord does not see^(L) 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.^{(M) 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^(N) of the house of the Lord, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar,^(O) 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^(P) in the east.^(Q)

²⁷ But if you do not obey^(A) me to keep the Sabbath^(B) day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire^(C) in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.’”^(D)

¹⁷ I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? ¹⁸ Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city?^(A) Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”^(B)