Ezekiel 9:7

7 Then he said to them, "Defile the house! Fill the courtyards with corpses! Get going!" So they went out, spreading death in the city.

Ezekiel 9:7 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 9:7

And he said unto them, defile the house
The temple; do not be afraid of slaying any person in it, for fear of defiling it; they have defiled it with their abominations, and now do you defile it with their blood: and fill the courts with the slain;
the court of the priests, and the court of the Israelites, and the court of the women, and all the chambers where the priests and Levites were, and had their images portrayed: go ye forth;
from the brasen altar by which they stood, and out of the temple, after they had done their business there, and had slain all they should: and they went forth, and slew in the city;
they went out of the temple, and slew in the city all but those that had the mark.

Ezekiel 9:7 In-Context

5 To the others I heard him say, "Go through the city after him and strike! Don't let your eye spare; have no pity!

6 Kill old men, young men, girls, little children, women - slaughter them all! But don't go near anyone with the mark. Begin at my sanctuary." They began with the leaders in front of the house.

7 Then he said to them, "Defile the house! Fill the courtyards with corpses! Get going!" So they went out, spreading death in the city.

8 While the killing was going on, I was left alone. I fell on my face, cried, and said, "Oh, Adonai ELOHIM! In pouring out your fury on Yerushalayim, are you going to destroy everyone left in Isra'el?"

9 Then he said to me, "The wickedness of the house of Isra'el and Y'hudah is enormous, the land is full of blood, and the city is full of justice denied; because they say, 'ADONAI has left the land, ADONAI doesn't see.'