Ezekiel 8:5

“Then said he unto me, son of man, &c.] That is, the glorious Person described above in this vision, the glorious God of Israel, seen by the prophet in the temple, he spoke unto him, calling him son of man; a name by which he often goes in this prophecy: lift up thine eyes now toward the north; of the mountain of the house without the court, as Jarchi interprets it: so I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north: being obedient to the heavenly vision: and behold northward at the gate of the altar; at the northern gate of the inner court, where was the altar of burnt offering, brought by Ahaz; to the north of the altar he built in imitation of that at Damascus, (<121610>2 Kings 16:10-14);…”

“gate of . . . altar--the principal avenue to the altar of burnt offering; as to the northern position, see Kg2 16:14. Ahaz had removed the brazen altar from the front of the Lord's house to the north of the altar which he had himself erected. The locality of the idol before God's own altar enhances the heinousness of the sin.”

“Northward - Ahaz had removed it from the middle of the court and set it near this north gate, to which it gave name. Entry - In the very passage to the temple, to affront the worship of God. Ezekiel 8:6”

“lift: Jer 3:2; Zac 5:5-11 at the: Eze 8:3; Psa 48:2 Ezekiel 8:6”

“First Abomination-Picture Eze 8:5. And He said to me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now towards the north. And I lifted up my eyes towards the north, and, behold, to the north of the gate of the altar was this image of jealousy at the entrance. Eze 8:6. And He said to me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? great abominations, which the house of Israel doeth here, that I may go far away from my sanctuary; and thou shalt yet again see greater abominations still. - As Ezekiel had taken his stand in the inner court at the entrance of the north gate, and when looking thence towards the north saw the image of jealousy to the north of the altar gate, the image must have stood on the outer side…”