Ezekiel 8:3

3. Took me by a lock of mine head This also was an appearance. This was a part of the vision. Ezekiel does not only see God, but feels his touch upon his head and can never forget it. Ezekiel does not suppose himself to be carried by a lock of hair; he distinctly says that it was a “spirit” that lifted him up and brought him to Jerusalem “in the visions of God.”

Visions of God See notes Ezekiel 1:1; Ezekiel 3:12; Ezekiel 10:0. All great souls have moments of supernatural ecstasy. Handel said he did not know whether he was in the body or out of the body when composing the Hallelujah Chorus of “The Messiah.” “The heavens are nearer to us than we think, and may open to pious souls in moments of transcendent spiritual exaltation more frequently than we imagine.” Geikie.

To the door of the inner gate Literally, to the door of the gate of the inner court. This probably means that he was set down in the outer court, just in front of the gateway leading into the inner court. “In front of the gateway in the outer court stood the image of jealousy, near the entrance. Having seen this the prophet is next brought into the gateway (Ezekiel 8:7) where he enters the chambers of imagery, some one of the cells in the gateway building.” Davidson.

The image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy It is not certain what this statue was. It was, no doubt, some idol; perhaps the pillar of Asherah (2 Kings 21:7; 2 Kings 23:6), which certainly had previously been set up in the temple and may have been there again in this day of apostasy. “Jealousy” was not the name of the idol, but it was called “image of jealousy,” because in a peculiar manner this particular image seems to have been drawing the people from the worship of Jehovah and therefore provoking him to jealousy. (See note Ezekiel 5:13.) The Polychrome Bible freely renders, “the image which provoked the just indignation of Jhvh.”