Matthew Poole and continuators on Ezekiel 8:16

16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORDS 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 toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east, and they worshipped the sun toward the east.

The inmost that which was next to the Temple called here the Lords house.

Before he saw abominations in the Gates of the Courts now he is come to the very ho[illegible: 2 letters]e it self.

That st[illegible: 1 letter]t[illegible: 1 letter]ly large Porch beautified with the high, curious, and mighty brass Pillars, Iac[illegible: 1 letter]in and Bo[illegible: 2 letters], of which see 1 Kings 6.3. and 7.15.21.

The brazen Altar for burnt-offerings, which was placed in the Court before the front of the Temple, and is here represented in its proper place, 2 Kings 16.14. This is not contradictory to that verse 5th. which speaks of the place where [illegible: 1 word] had wickedly placed the Altar, but this verse 16th. speaks of the same Altar as supposing it to be where it ought, as God commanded it should be, and Solomon placed it, 2 Chr. 8.12.

An indefinite and undetermined number.

In contempt of God, with an open and designed abrenuntiation of God and his Worship.

Though God had prohibited this Deut. 17.3. with Deut. 4.17, 18, 19. Yet in imitation of the Chaldees, Persians, Aegyptians, Phaen[illegible: 1 letter]cians and the Eastern Idolaters, these Jews turn the back on God who Created the Sun, and Worship the Creature in contempt of the Creator.

Either some principal men. Or else some Priests, if these, the greater sin in them to turn Idolaters, if the other, the Idolatry committed by them in a place they should not have entred appears presumptuous and greatly wicked.

Marginal references: chap. 11.1.; 2 Kings 23.5▪