Albert Barnes Commentary Ezekiel 8:17

"Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen [this], O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have turned again to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose." — Ezekiel 8:17 (ASV)

“Violence” represents sin against man, “abominations” sins against God. These went hand in hand in Jerusalem.

And have returned - After the reformation effected for a time by Josiah’s zeal, they have gone back to their old state.

They put the branch to their nose - An allusion to a then familiar practice, of which we find no clear traces elsewhere. Ezekiel is describing the attitude usual in such devotions, the branch held before the mouth, but wishing to represent it in contemptuous and derogatory terms, he substitutes the word “nose” for “mouth.”