Ezekiel 8:5

"Then said he unto me, Son of man, Lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold, northward of the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entrance. And he said unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel do commit here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? But thou shalt see yet again other abominations."

THE IMAGE OF JEALOUSY

"The image of jealousy in the entrance ..." (Ezekiel 8:5). There are almost as many guesses as to the identity of this idol as there are authors discussing it; but we should not overlook the fact that the identity of the idol is immaterial. Any idol, made contrary to the Mosaic Law was offensive to God; and the placement of such an abomination within the sacred precincts of the Temple itself was an outrageous desecration.

The guess as to the idol's identity which is most popular among the writers we have consulted is that it was an idol with an altar to the Ashera, Ashteroth, Astarte, or some other female fertility goddess of the ancient Canaanites. The worship of such idols was vile, licentious, depraved and disgusting.

"That I should go far off from my sanctuary ..." (Ezekiel 8:6). A better rendition of this was given by Eichrodt. "They are committing great abominations here to drive me from my sanctuary."[9] God's removing his presence from the Jewish Temple is the principal theme of Ezekiel 8-11. Here the reason for that removal is clearly tied to the abominations practiced there by the apostate children of Israel.