Ezekiel 8:17

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. AND HAVE RETURNED TO PROVOKE ME TO ANGER: AND, LO, THEY PUT THE BRANCH TO THEIR NOSE - proverbial, because 'they turn up the nose in scorn,' expressing their insolent security. (Septuagint) Not content with outraging "with their violence" the second table of the law-namely, that of duty toward one's neighbour - "they have returned" (i:e., they turn back afresh) to provoke me by violations of the first table (Calvin). Rather, they held up a branch or bundle of tamarisk branches (called barsom) to their nose at daybreak, while singing hymns to the rising sun (Strabo, 1: 15, p. 733). Sacred trees were fre...

God complains as formerly of the wickedness of the people, especially of their perfidious and wicked revolt, because they so defiled the temple which ought to be sacred to God alone. He adds besides another complaint, that they were not content in their wickedness, which tended to violate human society and common rights, and the pursuit of mutual equity, unless even religion should be weakened by them. For under the word חמס _, chemes, _is comprehended whatever is contrary to the second table of the law. There is, therefore, a use of the figure a part for the whole, in this word חמס, _chemes, _violence, as if he had said, they were addicted to frauds, rapine, slaughter, cruelty, perjuries, spoliations. Since, therefore, they abstained from no injustice, says God, they manifestly provoke me also: as if he had said, after being unjust towards men, they now dare to erect their horns against...

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. The Lord appeals to the prophet concerning the heinousness of the crime; "and lo, they put the branch to their nose," denoting some custom used by idolaters in honour of the idols they served. The more we examine human nature and our own hearts, the more abominations we shall discover; and the longer the believer searches himself, the more he will humble himself before God, and the more will he value the fountain open for sin, and seek to wash therein....

Verse Ezekiel 8:17. _THEY PUT THE BRANCH TO THEIR NOSE._] This is supposed to mean some branch or branches, which they carried in succession in honour of the idol, and with which they covered their faces, or from which they inhaled a pleasant smell, the branches being odoriferous. That the heathens carried branches of trees in their sacred ceremonies is well known to all persons acquainted with classic antiquity; and it is probable that the heathen borrowed those from the use of such branches in the Jewish feast of tabernacles. There are many strange, and some filthy, interpretations given of this clause; but the former are not worth repeating, and I abominate the latter too much to submit to defile my paper with them. Probably the Brahminic _Linga_ is here intended. It really seems that at this time the Jews had incorporated every species of idolatry in their impu

“Violence” represents sin against man, “abominations” sins against God. These went hand in hand in Jerusalem. AND HAVE RETURNED - After the reformation effected for a time by Josiah’s zeal, they have gone back to their old state. THEY PUT THE BRANCH TO THEIR NOSE - An allusion to a then familiar practice, of which we find no clear traces elsewhere. Ezekiel is describing the attitude usual in such devotions, the branch held before the mouth, but wishing to represent it in contemptuous and derogatory terms, he substitutes the word “nose” for “mouth.”...

EXPOSITION EZEKIEL 8:1 AND IT CAME TO PASS, etc. We begin with a fresh date. One year and one month had passed since the vision of Chebar, and had been occupied partly by the acted, partly by the spoken, prophecies of the preceding chapters. In the mean time, things had gone from bad to worse in Jerusalem. In the absence of the higher priests, idolatry was more rampant, and had found its way even into the temple. It is probable that tidings of this had reached Ezekiel, as we know that frequent communications passed between the exiles and those they had left behind (Jeremiah 29:1, Jeremiah 29:9,...

THEN HE SAID UNTO ME, HAST THOU SEEN [THIS], O SON OF MAN?.... Took notice of and considered this piece of idolatry, worshipping the sun toward the east: IS IT A LIGHT THING TO THE HOUSE OF JUDAH THAT THEY COMMIT THE ABOMINATIONS WHICH THEY COMMIT HERE? could these things, which are such dreadful abominations, committed here in the temple, be reckoned light things by them, as surely they cannot? yet these are not all that they have done: FOR THEY HAVE FILLED THE LAND WITH VIOLENCE; with rapine and oppression; doing injury to the poor and needy, the widow and the fatherless, in all places: AND HAVE RETURNED TO PROVOKE ME TO ANGER; by other instances of idolatry: AND, LO, THEY PUT THE BRANCH TO THEIR NOSE; a laurel, or olive, or vine branch, which idolaters carried in their hands, and put to their nose, in honour of the idol they worshipped; in like manner as they kissed their hand at...

CHAPTER S 8-11 Visions in Relation to Jerusalem _ 1. The vision of abomination in the temple (Ezekiel 8:1) _ 2. The vision of the linen-clothed man with the inkhorn (Ezekiel 9:1) 3. The vision of the coals of fire (Ezekiel 10:1) 4. The vision concerning the leaders: The glory departs (Ezekiel 11:1) Ezekiel 8:1. This vision shows the abomination which prevailed in the temple of Jehovah. In the visions of God, Ezekiel is brought to the door of the inner gate that looks to the north. Here was the image o

THE. Some codices, with three early printed editions, read "all the". LO. Figure of speech _Asterismce._ App-6. THE BRANCH. the Asherah (App-42), represented by. branch out to. certain shape. THEIR. This is one of the eighteen emendations of the Sepherim (App-33), by which they record their change _of'aphphi_ (My nostrils) _of_ the primitive text, to' _aphpham_ (their nostrils), in order to remove what was thought to be an indelicate and derogatory _Anthropomorphism._...

_Is it a light thing_ Probably: is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit … that they have filled: cf. Isaiah 49:6; ch. Ezekiel 9:9. _the branch to their nose_ This is supposed to be part of the ceremonies of their sun-worship. It is said that the Persian sun-worshippers held before them a branch or bunch of date, pomegranate or tamarisk tree, or according to some of the Homa tree, probably that their breath might not contaminate the glory of the rising deity. The word "nose" might mean face (Genesis 3:19), but why not "mouth?" And this distinctively Persian rite is hardly probable at so early a date in Israel. Also the reference to idolatry seemed concluded, for it is asked whether these idolatries were not