Bible Strands
Ezekiel 8:10
So I went in and looked, and engraved all around the wall was every kind of crawling creature and detestable beast, along with all the idols of the house of Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Lord commands Ezekiel to enter the inner sanctuary and observe the wicked abominations being committed there. Ezekiel obeys, stepping inside and surveying the engraved wall.
The words — תַּבְנִית (tav.Nit) means form or image, describing the carved figures. שֶׁקֶץ (She.ketz) denotes a detestable thing, classifying the carved creatures as ritually unclean.
The thread — The prohibition against carving images of heaven, earth, or water appears in Exodus 20:4, while Romans 1:23 records idolaters exchanging God’s glory for images of animals and reptiles. Jeremiah 16:18 connects this defilement to divine judgment, warning that contaminating the land with detestable things brings double repayment for sin.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that physical representations of created things replace the worship of the Creator. It requires the reader to identify any carved or crafted substitute for God as inherently detestable.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Exodus 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath.
- Romans 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
- Jeremiah 16:18 And I will first repay them double their iniquity and their sin, because they have defiled My land with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and they have filled My inheritance with their abominations.”
- Leviticus 11:29 The following creatures that move along the ground are unclean for you: the mole, the mouse, any kind of great lizard,
- Leviticus 11:42 Do not eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it crawls on its belly or walks on four or more feet; for such creatures are detestable.
- Deuteronomy 4:18 or of any creature that crawls on the ground or fish that is in the waters below.
- Deuteronomy 14:3 You must not eat any detestable thing.
- Deuteronomy 14:7 But of those that chew the cud or have a completely divided hoof, you are not to eat the following: the camel, the rabbit, or the rock badger. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a divided hoof. They are unclean for you,
- Isaiah 57:6 Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley; indeed, they are your lot. Even to them you have poured out a drink offering and offered a grain offering. Should I relent because of these?
- Jeremiah 2:26 As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets