1 Então, no dia 17 de Setembro , durante o sexto ano do cativeiro do rei Jeconias, enquanto falava com os anciãos de Judá em minha casa, o poder do Senhor Deus caiu sobre mim.2 Vi algo que parecia ser um homem - da cintura para baixo era feito de fogo, e para cima o seu aspecto era o de bronze brilhante, luzindo como fogo. Estendeu aquilo que me pareceu ser uma mão e pegou-me pelos cabelos. O Espírito levantou-me entre o céu e a Terra, e numa visão de Deus transportou-me até Jerusalém, até à entrada do portão norte, onde havia um grande ídolo que tinha provocado a ira do Senhor. De repente a glória do Deus de Israel apareceu ali, tal como a vira antes no vale.5 E disse-me: Homem mortal, olha em direcção do norte. Então olhei, e com efeito, a norte do portão do altar, à entrada, estava o ídolo.6 Acrescentou a seguir: Homem mortal, estás a ver o que eles estão a fazer? Vês os grandes pecados que o povo de Israel está a praticar aqui mesmo, para me afastar do meu santuário? Mas vou-te mostrar pecados ainda maiores do que estes!7 Touxe-me até à porta do átrio do templo, e havia um buraco na parede. 8 Agora, abre mais aquele buraco na parede. Obedeci e apareceu uma porta.9 Entra por essa porta e vê as coisas abomináveis que eles fazem aqui.10 Entrei. As paredes estavam cobertas com pinturas de toda a espécie de serpentes, de répteis e de criaturas abomináveis, além de todos os vários ídolos adorados pelo povo de Israel. Setenta anciãos de Israel ali estavam de pé, diante das pinturas, e, com eles, Jazanias (filho de Safã); e todos adorando aquilo. Cada um segurava num incensário, cujo fumo se elevava acima das cabeças.12 Então o Senhor disse-me: Homem mortal, vês de que está cheia a mente dos anciãos de Israel? E dizem: O Senhor não nos vê, já abandonou a Terra! E acrescentou: Vou mostrar-te pecados ainda maiores do que estes!14 Levou-me ao portão norte do templo e ali estavam mulheres sentadas, a chorar por Tamuz .15 Reparaste bem nisto? Pois vou mostrar-te coisas ainda mais abomináveis!16 Trouxe-me depois para o pátio interior do templo, e ali, à entrada, entre o pórtico e o altar de bronze, estavam cerca de 25 homens de pé, de costas voltadas para o templo do Senhor, virados para o oriente e adorando o Sol!17 Estás a ver isto? Para o povo de Israel tudo isto é como se nada fosse: o cometer estes terríveis pecados, levando a nação inteira para a adolatria, fazendo pouco de mim e acendendo a minha ira contra eles. Pelo que também procederei com furor. Não terei piedade nem pouparei seja quem for. Ainda que gritem por misericórdia, não os ouvirei.

1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.2 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 color of amber.3 And he put forth the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my 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 towards the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.4 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.5 Then said he to me, Son of man, lift up thy eyes now the way towards the north. So I lifted up my eyes the way towards the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.6 He said furthermore to me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should withdraw from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.7 And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.8 Then said he to me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.9 And he said to 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 animals, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed around upon the wall.11 And there stood before them seventy men of the elders 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 to me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the elders 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 to 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 towards the north; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.15 Then said he to 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 towards the temple of the LORD, and their faces towards the east; and they worshiped the sun towards the east.17 Then he said to 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: my eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them.