Ezekiel 9:1-11 - Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

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The Slaughter of the Idolaters in Jerusalem

The voice which has been speaking to Ezekiel now summons six supernatural beings armed with weapons of slaughter. They are attended by a seventh robed like a priest and equipped as a scribe. They come from the north, and take their stand by the brasen altar in the inner court. The 'glory of God' leaves the living chariot and stands at the threshold of the main Temple building. The man who acts as scribe is instructed to go through the city and set a mark on the foreheads of all those who mourn for the prevailing idolatries. The other six are instructed to follow him, to slay all those who are not thus marked, without respect to sex or age, and to begin at the Temple itself. The command is obeyed, and the sun-worshippers in the Temple are the first victims. Ezekiel, appalled at the fate of the citizens, falls on his face to plead that the whole nation may not be destroyed, but he is told that punishment must be sternly executed on those who have so fully deserved it. The scribe-angel reports that his work is done, and we are left to imagine that the work of slaughter was carried out too. This chapter teaches that while God visits sin with doom, He is perfectly just, and will not suffer the righteous to perish with the wicked.

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.