John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 9:2

"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)

Now the Prophet writes that God’s command was not vain or empty, because the effect appears directly in the vision. Therefore, six men presented themselves. Why he names six again, rather than more or fewer, I have not discovered. For some cite Jeremiah 39, where eight leaders are mentioned who were in Nebuchadnezzar’s army and had the chief authority; but first, they vary in number, and then they offer various convoluted arguments.

But I am not so anxiously curious, nor does it seem to me of any importance, unless perhaps God wished to show His servant that a small band was sufficient and that there was no need for a large army, or that by six men He collectively designated the whole army.

It is indeed certain that Nebuchadnezzar came surrounded by a large force to destroy the city. However, in the meantime, God wished to destroy that pride and rebelliousness of the people, since He only shows His servant six men who could destroy the whole city. He says, therefore, that he came by the gate, or by way of a lofty gate, or higher one, which was toward the north, because Babylon lay in that direction relative to Jerusalem.

It appears, therefore, that the Chaldeans were indicated here, for whom the way was direct through that gate, since it approached from the north, opposite Jerusalem. He says, each man had an instrument of destruction, or of pounding. This word is derived from נפף, nephetz, which means to destroy and crush to pieces; therefore, it can be taken to mean the mallet as well as the act itself.

There is no doubt that the Prophet meant that God’s command would not be without immediate effect, because as soon as He cried out, six men were immediately at hand to obey Him. This the Prophet afterwards expresses more clearly when he says that they stood near the altar. For it was a sign of their readiness to obey God’s commands when they placed themselves before the altar.

But this passage is worthy of notice because it shows us how earnestly we ought to heed God’s threats, which are for the most part directed against us. So that we may learn to rouse ourselves from our torpor, here, as in a mirror, the conjunction of God’s vengeance with His threats is presented to us.

For as soon as He had spoken, we see that there were six men armed and drawn up to destroy the city. But God wished to show His Prophet this vision because He was dealing with a hard and dull people, as we have already seen. God’s voice was, as it were, their final doom, just as if a trumpet resounded, announcing that there was no hope of pardon unless the enemy surrendered immediately.

Therefore, God exclaimed with a loud voice, but this was no groundless alarm, because He immediately followed it with execution, as six men appeared before the altar. But he calls the altar (which Solomon had built of square stones) brazen: even the original brazen altar was not always sufficient, yet the term is used because it refers to its earliest form.

Now he says that there was among them one man clothed with a linen garment (1 Kings 8:64). He is not placed among the multitude as one of the others, but he is separated because his significance is distinct. This man, then, doubtless represented an angel, and it is quite customary in Scripture that angels, when they take a visible form, should be called men—not because they are really men, but because God invests them with such forms as He sees fit.

Some, whose opinion I do not altogether reject, restrict this figure to Christ. But because the Prophet adds no remarkable traits, I would rather understand it as referring generally to any angel. Therefore, he says that among the Chaldeans, who were prepared to execute God’s vengeance, there was one man clad in a linen garment. A distinct mark is sometimes given to angels, which separates them from men.

The linen garment was then a remarkable ornament. And the sacrificing Papists, as if they were apes, have imitated that custom in their garments called surplices. But since priests were accustomed to be clothed in linen robes, here the angel was represented to the Prophet in this attire. Now let us continue, because in the next verse it will be evident why mention was made of that angel.