Albert Barnes Commentary Ezekiel 9
Albert Barnes Commentary
Ezekiel 9
Albert Barnes Commentary
Ezekiel 9
"Then he cried in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause ye them that have charge over the city to draw near, every man with his destroying weapon in his hand." — Ezekiel 9:1 (ASV)
Those who have charge - The angels who have charge to execute God’s sentence.
Every man - “ angels,” not “men.”
"And behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lieth toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, with a writer`s inkhorn by his side. And they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar." — Ezekiel 9:2 (ASV)
Six men – angels of wrath – figurative of destruction. They come from the north, the quarter from which invading armies entered the holy land. These “six” angels, with the “one among them,” a superior over the six, make up the number “seven,” a number symbolic of God’s covenant with His people.
The higher gate – The north gate of the court of the priests. The temple rose by platforms; as there was a north gate to the outer and also to the inner court, the latter was probably distinguished as the “higher gate.” It was built by Jotham (2 Kings 15:35).
Clothed with linen – The priestly garment (Exodus 28:6, Exodus 28:8; Leviticus 16:4). This “One Man” (Revelation 1:13) was the “angel of the covenant,” the great high priest, superior to those by whom He was surrounded, receiving direct communication from the Lord, taking the coals of vengeance from between the cherubim (Ezekiel 10:2), but coming with mercy to the contrite as well as with vengeance to the impenitent; these are attributes of Jesus Christ (John 5:30; Luke 2:34; Matthew 9:13; John 6:39).
A writer’s inkhorn – Usually a flat case about nine inches long, by an inch and a quarter broad, and half an inch thick, the hollow of which serves to contain the reed pens and penknife. At one end is the ink-vessel, which is twice as heavy as the shaft. The latter is passed through the girdle and prevented from slipping through by the projecting ink-vessel. The whole is usually of polished metal, brass, copper or silver.
The man with the inkhorn has to write in the Book of Life the names of those who will be marked. This metaphor is from the custom of registering the names of the Israelites in public rolls (Psalms 69:28; Isaiah 4:3; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5).
"And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house: and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer`s inkhorn by his side." — Ezekiel 9:3 (ASV)
Cherub - The singular is put collectively for the “cherubim,” which were upon the mercy-seat of the ark in the Holy of Holies, the proper seat of the glory of the Lord in the midst of Israel. God is represented as “arising” from between the cherubim to scatter His enemies (Numbers 10:35).
"And Jehovah 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 over all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof." — Ezekiel 9:4 (ASV)
Mercy precedes judgment. So in the case of Sodom (Genesis 19:0), and in the last day (Luke 21:18), (Luke 21:28); (Revelation 7:1). This accords with the eschatological character of the predictions in this chapter (see the introduction to Ezekiel).
A mark - literally, “Tau,” the name of the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The old form of the letter was that of a cross. The Jews have interpreted this sign variously; some considered that “Tau,” being the last of the Hebrew letters and so closing the alphabet, denoted completeness, and thus the mark indicated the completeness of the sorrow for sin in those on whom it was placed.
Others also observed that “Tau” was the first letter of Torah (“the Law”) and that the foreheads were marked as a sign of men obedient to the Law. Christians, noting the resemblance of this letter in its most ancient form to a cross, have seen in this a reference to the cross with which Christians were signed. The custom for pagan gods and their devotees to bear certain marks furnishes instances where God was pleased to employ symbolism, commonly in use, to express higher and more divine truth. The sign of the cross in baptism is an outward sign of the designation of God’s elect, who at the last day will be exempted from the destruction of the ungodly (Matthew 24:22), (Matthew 24:31).
"slay utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but come not near any man upon whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the old men that were before the house." — Ezekiel 9:6 (ASV)
Begin at my sanctuary - The first to be punished were those who had brought idolatry nearest to the holy place. The “ancient men,” that is, the 25 men who had stood with their backs to the altar (Ezekiel 8:16) were the first to be slain.
Jump to: