Ezekiel 9:5

5 And to the others he said in my hearing, Go after him through the city and smite; do not let your eye forgive, neither have mercy.

Ezekiel 9:5 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 9:5

And, to the others he said in mine hearing
To the other six men that had the slaughter weapons in their hands: go ye after him through the city;
that is, after the man clothed with linen; for he was sent out first to take care of the righteous, and preserve them; and the rest were not suffered to stir till he was gone; and then they are bid to go after him. The Syriac version is,

``to them that were with him he said to them before me, go through the city after me;''

as if these were the words of the man clothed with linen to the other six; and so the Arabic version; of it the other is the true reading, and gives the right sense, as the following words show: and smite;
the inhabitants of the city: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity;
not that the Chaldeans were inclined to mercy and pity, for they were a cruel and barbarous people; but this is said to show the resentment of God against the sins of the Jews; and that it was his will they should act the severe part they did.

Ezekiel 9:5 In-Context

3 And the glory of the God of Israel went up from over the cherubim, upon which he had been, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, who 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 mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry out because of all the abominations that are done in the midst of her.

5 And to the others he said in my hearing, Go after him through the city and smite; do not let your eye forgive, neither have mercy.

6 Slay the old, the young men, and the virgins, the children and the women, but do not come near anyone upon whom is the mark; and ye must begin from my sanctuary. Then they began with the men, the elders, which were in front of the temple.

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