Ezekiel 9:5-11

5 And to the others he said in mine ears, `Pass on into the city after him, and smite; your eye doth not pity, nor do ye spare;

6 aged, young man, and virgin, and infant, and women, ye do slay -- to destruction; and against any man on whom [is] the mark ye do not go nigh, and from My sanctuary ye begin.'

7 And they begin among the aged men who [are] before the house, and He saith unto them, `Defile the house, and fill the courts with the wounded, go forth.' And they have gone forth and have smitten in the city.

8 And it cometh to pass, as they are smiting, and I -- I am left -- that I fall on my face, and cry, and say, `Ah, Lord Jehovah, art Thou destroying all the remnant of Israel, in Thy pouring out Thy wrath on Jerusalem?'

9 And He saith unto me, `The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah [is] very very great, and the land is full of blood, and the city hath been full of perverseness, for they have said: Jehovah hath forsaken the land, and Jehovah is not seeing.

10 And I also, Mine eye doth not pity, nor do I spare; their way on their own head I have put.'

11 And lo, the man clothed with linen, at whose loins [is] the inkhorn, is bringing back word, saying, `I have done as Thou hast commanded me.'

Ezekiel 9:5-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 9

In this chapter is contained a vision, representing the destruction of the idolatrous Jews, and the preservation of the godly that were among them, in which different persons were employed; they that were concerned in the destruction of the idolaters are described by their office; they had charge over the city; by their form and appearance, men; by their number, six; by the quarter from whence they came, the way of the higher gate northward; and by the weapons they had in their hands, slaughter ones; and by their place and posture, standing beside the brasen altar, Eze 9:1,2; among these were one clothed in linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side; to whom the glorious God of Israel, who was removed from the cherub to the threshold of the house, gave orders to go through the city of Jerusalem, and mark those that mourned over the abominations of it, Eze 9:3,4; and the rest he ordered to go through the city, and slay all of every age, and sex, and state, except those that had the mark; beginning at the sanctuary, and filling the courts with the slain; which orders were obeyed, Eze 9:5-7; upon which the prophet expostulates with the Lord, and intercedes for the people; but is not heard, because of the abounding of iniquity among them; their frequent shedding of blood; their perversion of justice; and their abominable infidelity and atheism; for which reasons he was determined to show them no mercy, Eze 9:8-10; and the chapter is closed with a report made by the man clothed with linen, that he had done as was commanded him, Eze 9:11.