9 1 The destruction of the city. 4 They that shall be saved, are marked. 8 A complaint of the Prophet for the destruction of the people.
1 He cried also with a loud voice in mine ears, saying, The visitations of [a]the city draw near, and every man hath a weapon in his hand to destroy it.
2 And behold, six [b]men came by the way of the high gate, which lieth toward the [c]North, and every man a weapon in his hand to destroy it: and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s [d]inkhorn by his side, and they went in and stood beside the brazen altar.
3 And the glory of the God of Israel was [e]gone up from the Cherub, whereupon he was, and stood on the [f]door 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, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and [g]set a mark upon the foreheads of them that [h]mourn, and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
5 And to the other he said, that I might hear, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let your eye spare none, neither have pity.
6 Destroy utterly the old, and the young, and the maids, and the children, and the women, but touch no man, upon whom is the [i]mark, and begin at my Sanctuary. Then they began at the [j]ancient men, which were before the house.
7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain, then go forth: and they went out and slew them in the city.
8 Now when they had slain them, and I had escaped, I fell down upon my face, and cried, saying, [k]Ah Lord God, wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel, in pouring out thy wrath upon Jerusalem?
9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel, and Judah is exceeding great, so that the land is full of [l]blood, and the city full of corrupt judgment: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth us not.
10 As touching me also, mine eye shall not spare them, neither will I have pity, but will recompense their ways upon their heads.
11 And behold, the man clothed with linen which had the inkhorn by his side, made report, and said, Lord, I have done as thou hast commanded me.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 9:1 The time to take vengeance.
- Ezekiel 9:2 Which were Angels in the similitude of men.
- Ezekiel 9:2 Signifying, that the Babylonians should come from the North to destroy the city and the Temple.
- Ezekiel 9:2 To mark them that should be saved.
- Ezekiel 9:3 Which declared that he was not bound thereunto, neither would remain any longer, than there was hope that they would return from their wickedness and worship him aright.
- Ezekiel 9:3 Or, Threshold.
- Ezekiel 9:4 Or, mark with [x].
- Ezekiel 9:4 He showeth what is the manner of God’s children, whom he marketh to salvation: to wit, to mourn and cry out against the wickedness, which they see committed against God’s glory.
- Ezekiel 9:6 Thus in all his plagues the Lord preserveth his small number, which he marketh, as Exod. 12:12; Rev. 7:3, but the chief mark is the Spirit of adoption, wherewith the heart is sealed up to life everlasting.
- Ezekiel 9:6 Which were the chief occasion of all these evils, as Ezek. 8:11.
- Ezekiel 9:8 This declareth that the servants of God have a compassion, when they see his judgments executed.
- Ezekiel 9:9 That is, with all kinds of wickedness, read Isa. 1:15.