Ezekiel 8:3 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Took me by a lock, &c.— By that time the sins of this rebellious people were ripe for the punishment of their approaching captivity: they had polluted themselves with all kinds of Egyptian abominations, as appears from this famous vision of the prophet, wherein their three capital idolatries are so graphically described. The prophet represents himself as brought in a vision to Jerusalem. And at the door of the inner gate which looketh toward the north, he saw the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. This is a prelude to the visions which describe the various idolatries of the house of Israel, where, in the noblest sketch of an inspired imagination, idolatry is itself personified, and made an idol; and the image sublimely called the image of jealousy; which the prophet explains by observing, that it was that which provoked God to jealousy. He then proceeds to the various scenery of the inspired vision. See the Divine Legation, vol. 3: Houbigant is of opinion, that this image of jealousy represented Mars, because Tammus is spoken of in the 14th verse, who was certainly the same as Adonis; for each of these idols was in the same part of the temple, and the women weep for Adonis before the image of jealousy, or Mars, who had killed Adonis by means of the boar, through jealousy: but Bishop Warburton's opinion seems preferable. Instead of door of the inner gate, we may read, door, or entry of the gate of the inner court.