6. God said to me, “Mortal man, do you see what is happening? Look at the disgusting things the people of Israel are doing here, driving me farther and farther away from my holy place. You will see even more disgraceful things than this.”
7. He took me to the entrance of the outer courtyard and showed me a hole in the wall.
8. He said, “Mortal man, break through the wall here.” I broke through it and found a door.
9. He said to me, “Go in and look at the evil, disgusting things they are doing there.”
10. So I went in and looked. The walls were covered with drawings of snakes and other unclean animals, and of the other things which the Israelites were worshipping.
11. Seventy Israelite leaders were there, including Jaazaniah son of Shaphan. Each one was holding an incense burner, and smoke was rising from the incense.
12. God asked me, “Mortal man, do you see what the Israelite leaders are doing in secret? They are all worshipping in a room full of images. Their excuse is: ‘The Lord doesn't see us! He has abandoned the country.’ ”
13. Then the Lord said to me, “You are going to see them do even more disgusting things than that.”
14. So he took me to the north gate of the Temple and showed me women weeping over the death of the god Tammuz.
15. He asked, “Mortal man, do you see that? You will see even more disgusting things.”