Ezekiel 9:6

6 "Utterly ¹slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not ²touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall ³start from My sanctuary." So they started with the elders who were before the temple.

Ezekiel 9:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 9:6

Slay utterly old [and] young, both maids, and little children,
and women
All, of them objects of compassion, because of their age and sex; and yet none to be spared; and which orders were exactly obeyed; see ( 2 Chronicles 36:17 ) ; but come not near any man on whom [is] the mark;
these were not to be slain; and though some were carried captive, as Daniel, and others; yet it was for their good and God's glory; see ( Revelation 7:3 Revelation 7:4 ) ( Revelation 9:3 Revelation 9:4 ) ; and begin at my sanctuary;
the temple, the house of God, and the priests and Levites that dwelt there. The Septuagint version is, "begin at my saints"; those who professed themselves to be the saints of the Lord, and were separated and devoted to his service; and so the Rabbins say ^F25, do not read (yvdqmm) , "at my sanctuary"; but (yvdwqmm) , "at those that sanctify me", or "my sanctified ones"; which they interpret of those that keep the whole law, from "aleph" to "tau"; see ( 1 Peter 4:17 ) ; then they began at the ancient men which [were] before the house;
the seventy elders of Israel, who offered incense to the idols portrayed upon the walls of the chambers of the temple, ( Ezekiel 8:10 Ezekiel 8:11 ) ; these they slew first.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F25 T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 4. 1.

Ezekiel 9:6 In-Context

4 The LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst."

5 But to the others He said in my hearing, "Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare.

6 "Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary." So they started with the elders who were before the temple.

7 And He said to them, "Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!" Thus they went out and struck down the people in the city.

8 As they were striking the people and I alone was left, I fell on my face and cried out saying, "Alas, Lord GOD! Are You destroying the whole remnant of Israel by pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?"

Cross References

• 1. 2 Chronicles 36:17
• 2. Exodus 12:23; Revelation 9:4
• 3. Jeremiah 25:29; Amos 3:2; Luke 12:47

Footnotes

• [a] Lit To "destruction"
• [b] Or "old men"
• [c] Lit "house"