Ezekiel 8:14 Meaning and Explanation
“Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Ezekiel is brought to the temple's north gate where women are ritually mourning for Tammuz, a pagan deity.
The Context of Ezekiel 8:14
Women perform mourning rituals for Tammuz at the temple gate—bringing pagan deity worship into the sacred precinct.
What Does Ezekiel 8:14 Mean?
Tammuz was a Mesopotamian fertility god whose myth involved death and resurrection, celebrated with ritualized mourning by devotees. That women are weeping for him at the temple gate shows a syncretistic religion where pagan deities are integrated into the sacred space and public worship. This is not hidden like the elders' chamber; it is being done at the gate, suggesting either brazen disregard or normalized acceptance of the practice among the people.
The weeping ritual invokes a death-rebirth mythology foreign to Israelite covenant theology. Rather than trusting in Israel's God for provision and blessing, these women look to a pagan god's cycle. Their public mourning at the temple gate represents the infection of false belief systems at the very boundaries of holy space, a sign that the people have adopted alternative frameworks for understanding divine power.
Ezekiel 8:14 in the Original Language
Tammuz—an ancient Near Eastern deity associated with vegetation and fertility cycles; his worship involved ritualized lamentation for his mythological death and expected resurrection.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ezekiel 8:14
What does Ezekiel 8:14 mean?
Ezekiel is brought to the temple's north gate where women are ritually mourning for Tammuz, a pagan deity.
What is the context of Ezekiel 8:14?
Women perform mourning rituals for Tammuz at the temple gate—bringing pagan deity worship into the sacred precinct.