Ezekiel 8:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He brought me to the outer chamber of the courtyard, and as I looked, I noticed there was a singular well in the wall. Jezonias, the son of Shaphan, stood there surrounded by seventy elders of the people. The one who found joy in the Prophet instructs him to dig deeper into the wall. After the Prophet has done so, he is taken into the temple, where he witnesses representations of various reptiles and beasts etched upon the walls. Alongside Jezonias, a man of great devotion, there are seventy other elders, each holding censers from which the smoke rises toward the images inscribed on the walls.

In his reference to seventy elders of the house of Israel holding censers, it is evident that numerous other elders chose not to participate in such acts, potentially harboring their own transgressions. Among them was Jesaniah, son of Shaphan, who appeared as a foremost figure in the wickedness and profanation of those who, abandoning the service of the Lord, chose to revere idols instead. In the temple, rather than worshiping the true God, the rightful occupant of that sacred space, they directed their devotion towards mere images adorning the walls.

In unrighteousness and profound foolishness; what can be more absurd than venerating representations of poisonous creatures and mute animals? Some of these beings we previously deemed detrimental and malicious, while others have been designated by the Lord for servitude and assistance to humanity. As it is written, "To him that treadeth on the mountains is grass, and grain for the service of man" (Psalm 140:8). Therefore, let us reflect on the absurdity of honoring the likenesses of those who are mere servants and slaves. Consequently, the Lord, rightfully angered, addresses the Prophet: