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NASB | Ezekiel 8:17 He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and provoked Me repeatedly? For behold, they are putting the twig to their nose. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ezekiel 8:17 He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? Is it too slight a thing for the house of Judah to commit the repulsive acts which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and repeatedly provoked Me to anger? And behold, they are putting the branch to their nose. |
Bible Question: What does this mean? "they are putting the twig to their nose." I see from the Amplified version that it is a superstitious practice. Where does this come from? |
Bible Answer: Greetings Mommapbs! One more quote if I may! The Bible Knowledge Commentary says about Ezek. 8:17: "The horrors Ezekiel had seen in the temple of God were disturbing. But the evil was not confined there. The wickedness being practiced in the temple by the priests and the people had spread through the nation. Violence filled the nation, which continually provoked God to anger. The people were even putting the branch to their nose. Some feel this refers to a ritual act associated with worship of other gods. No such ritual is actually known, though some pictorial designs discovered on Assyrian reliefs could imply its existence. Early Jewish commentators translated ”branch“ as ”stench.“ Some scholars feel that ”their“ was a later scribal change for an original reading of ”my.“ In this case the phrase would read ”putting the stench to My nose,“ that is, idolatry is a putrid, offensive smell to God. One cannot be dogmatic on which interpretation is correct, but in either case the general sense is clear: the gesture was a gross insult to God. God’s response was decisive: I will deal with them in anger and not . . . with pity. God would not allow such open rebellion to continue. Even a last-minute desperate effort on their part to get God to hear their cries would do no good. The stage was set for judgment." Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |