Jealousy, Image of
Jealousy, Image Of
(סֵמֶל הִקַּנאָה, Sept. εἰκὼν τοῦ ζήλους,Vulg. idolum zeli), an idolatrous object seen by the prophet in that remarkable vision which portrayed to him the abominations that called down the divine vengeance on Jerusalem (Eze 8:3,5). SEE IMAGERY, CHAMBER OF. It stood upon apedestal (מוֹשָׁב, "seat") within the inner or priests' court of the Temple, adjoining the great altar, and seems to have been identical with the statue of Astarte, which Manasseh had the audacious effrontery to erect within the sacred precincts (2Ki 21:7). SEE ASHTORETH. This idol, arresting the attention of all who came to worship just as they entered, claimed, as the rival of Jehovah, their adoration, and thus was peculiarly offensive to the God of heaven (see Henderson, Commentary, ad loc.; Biedermann, De idolo zeli, Freib. 1757). SEE IDOL.
