Who was Tammuz?

A Phoenician idol, supposed by some to be the same as the Greek Adonis, as in the Vulgate. The prophet saw women weeping for 'the Tammuz,' who according to tradition had been slain. Ezek. 8:14.

The women wept for Tammuz, the Babylonian "Dumuzi," the god of spring, who dies, and revives each year. It was a vile, obscene cult, for with the worship of Tammuz were connected immoral, licentious ceremonies. Sun-worship was the crown of all these abominations. (See verses 16-18).

(3) But we have still further proofs. The next account involves another class from that of the elders, and shows how all parts of the nation were infected now: "He brought me to the entry of the gate of Jehovah's house toward the north, and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz." Tammuz is a word of difficult derivation, but the history of which is in measure plain. We have to identify him, no doubt, with one better known to us and to history in general as Adonis, who according to the legend, which is told in different ways, was beloved of Venus for his beauty. Slain in hunting by a boar, says the legend, he was, at her solicitation, permitted to return six months in the year from the under-world to her companionship. We need not go into it, as the general lesson is all that interests us. It is a nature picture in some way, no doubt; and faithfully represents the brief and lawless joys of earth under a heaven pictured as no less lawless, joys which soon end in lamentation; along with this longing for their recovery, which in one way or another makes men prophesy this for themselves, but with little comfort even in that which they prophesy: as to which there need be no wonder, no knowledge of sin being in it, and no repentance.

"He said also to me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of Jehovah's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz." Here it is not Syrian nor Egyptian idolatries, but Phoenician, and of the most grossly demoralizing character. It was apparently what the Greeks adopted under the fable of Adonis and Aphrodite.

"Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon" (2 Kings 24:20). This act was an infamous and sacrilegious act in the eyes of the Lord, and this is why: Nebuchadnezzar "had made him take oath by God" (2 Chr. 36:13). And Ezekiel tells us that he "made a covenant with him, and brought him under an oath" (Ezek. 17:13). Thus to all his other transgressions this king was adding the breaking of an oath made in the name of the Lord. Doing this before the idolatrous nations, he demonstrated before them that he had no regard for the God to whom he pretended to belong. Chronicles registers four reasons for the judgment of this king: He did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke to him on behalf of Jehovah; this was rebellion against the word of the Spirit of God. He revolted against Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against returning to Jehovah (2 Chr. 36:12-13). As to the first point, so often repeated about these latter kings of Judah, we are not told about those who immediately preceded Zedekiah that their idolatry was as dreadful as that of Manasseh, or at least the details are not given to us. But as to Zedekiah, we are informed first of all by Chronicles (2 Chr. 36:13-14), where we are told that together with all the chief of the people, he "defiled the house of Jehovah which he had hallowed in Jerusalem"; and the prophet Ezekiel, in his vision (Ezek. 8) gives us details of these abominations. "The image of jealousy," This Astarte set up by Manasseh which "provoked Jehovah to jealousy" was there at the entry of the temple; within the court and in the "chambers of imagery" all sorts of idols had been painted, before which the elders were burning incense; at the entry of the northern gate of the house women were weeping for Tammuz — probably Adonis; at the entry of the temple between the porch and the altar men were worshipping the rising sun. The thoughts of the hearts of the people were no better. Instead of recognizing that God's judgment had overtaken them because of their unfaithfulness, they said: "We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, in serving wood and stone " (Ezek. 20:32). The same prophet also presents to us the moral state of the prophets, the priests and the princes. Everywhere there was violence, profanation, dishonest gain, extortion, and rapine (Ezek. 22:23-31); see also Jer. 32:30-35).

Tam’muz Thou shalt be shrivelled up

Tammuz and Ab are not mentioned in scripture. The names in italic are used by Josephus and others.

The months of Tammuz and Ab are not mentioned in scripture. The names in italics are used by Josephus and others. See SEASONS and YEAR.

Civil Sacred Year Year 7 1 Abib or Nisan. 30 days. 8 2 Zif or Iyar. 29 days. 9 3 Sivan. 30 days. 10 4 Tammuz. 29 days. 11 5 Ab. 30 days. 12 6 Elul. 29 days. 1 7 Ethanim or Tisri. 30 days. 2 8 Bul or Marchesvan. 29 days. 3 9 Chisleu. 30 days. 4 10 Tebeth. 29 days. 5 11 Sebat. 30 days. 6 12 Adar. 29 days.

In principle we see the deceitful character of religious activity set forth in Ezekiel's day. (Ezek. 8:9-14). There were excellent paintings of the abominations on the temple walls. The ancient men of religion were raising clouds of incense in the dark and in their vain imaginations saying, "the Lord sees us not." Then on the other side of the House women were weeping for Tammuz (a heathen deity). The last mentioned was illustrated some time ago in the South of England when a monster ritualistic procession was in progress, bathing belles overcome with emotion were seen kneeling along the roadside as the "host" passed by. Subsequently Ezekiel's vision portrayed men with their backs to the temple of the Lord and their faces to the East worshipping the sun. This is typical of the prevalent worship of nature's grandeur, to the exclusion of any desire for ascertaining the Lord's mind, which is learned in what corresponds to the temple of living stones. What fascination these imaginations have for the ritualist and the rationalist of our own time? The Lord did not interfere with these celebrations. He did not pour rain on the clouds of incense that rose in beautiful wreaths as if He who dwelt in the temple accepted them. No hand traced out a warning message on the wall! Nevertheless, the Word of the Lord described these fascinations as abominations. The prophet's safety (as ours at the present moment) lay in the love of the truth. The truth reveals the character of what is in progress and preserves us from being partakers in what is merely a fair show in the flesh. In spite of its apparent comeliness it is an abomination to the Lord.

in chapter 8 idolatry of a gross kind was the fixed intention of the people living in the holy city of Jerusalem. All through that chapter we are shown one abomination after another. The Lord shows to His servant Ezekiel that the temple is the high court of wickedness. What can be done? What must be done?

The worship of the sun by the elders and weeping for Tammuz[1] by the women brought God's fixed determination to execute unsparing judgement against their corruption and violence. To do so was essential to satisfy the righteous claims of a holy God. It was also imperative that the testimony to His name be purged of the virus of rebellious false worship that, unchecked, was potent to destroy any testimony to the truth of God in this world. Such was the background crisis to the chapter to be considered.