Ezekiel 9:1-11 - G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

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Bible Comments

The next section of the message most remarkably reveals the fact of the divine discrimination in judgment. The prophet was charged in the vision to cause those who had charge over the city to draw near, armed with weapons of destruction. In response, six men came from the way of the upper gate, and a seventh, clothed in linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side. The glory of the God of Israel had departed from the center of the Temple to the threshold of the house.

These men were now charged to pass through the midst of the city, and slay the inhabitants. The man with the inkhorn, however, went through the midst of the city first, setting a mark on the foreheads of such as mourned the abominations which had been described. The six men followed him, slaying utterly, beginning at the house, and moving through the city. In this terrible process of judgment all those on whom the mark was found-those who in their hearts mourned the evil existing in the city-were spared.

The vision of judgment appalled the prophet, so that falling on his face, he cried out in intercession. He was answered by the declaration that the sin of Israel and Judah was great, and that therefore the judgment was irrevocable.

Related Commentaries of Ezekiel 9:1

Ezekiel 9:1-11

1 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lietha toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.

3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;

4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a markb upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

5 And to the others he said in mine hearing,c Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:

6 Slay utterlyd old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood,e and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.

10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.

11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reportedf the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.