1The prophet in the vision seeth a mark set upon some, 5and the destruction of all the rest. 8God rejecteth his intercession.
1HE1 cried also 2in mine ears with a loud voice, 3saying, Cause 4them that have charge over 5the city to draw near, even every man with his 6destroying weapon in his hand.
1 Namely, the Lord, of Whom see Ezek. 1 on verse 26.
2 That is, that I, Ezekiel, heard this cry. Understand by this cry the power of God’s Providence, whereby He moves the creatures to execute His will and eternal counsel.
3 Namely, to the holy angels, who are at God’s service, to execute His commands and judgments, Psalm 103:20; Heb. 1:14.
4 Hebr. oversights, that is, those who had the oversight. Understand certain holy angels who were appointed by God as overseers of the city; for, by Him they were appointed over lands, nations and cities, not only to preserve and defend them, 2 Kings 6:17; Dan. 10:20, 21, but also to punish them, Gen. 19:12, 13; 2 Kings 19:35. They are called princes, Dan. 10:20, 21; likewise dominions, principalities, powers, Col. 1:16, that is, rulers, commanders, potentates. Also here oversights for overseers, commissioners.
5 Namely, Jerusalem.
6 Hebr. weapon or furniture of destruction, that is, wherewith He would destroy the inhabitants of the city.
2And, behold, 7six men came from the way 8of the higher gate, which lieth 9toward the north, and 10every man 11a slaughter weapon in his hand; and 12one man among them was clothed 13with linen, with a 14writer’s inkhorn 15by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the 16brasen altar.
7 That is, as some are of the opinion, six angels in the form of men. Compare Gen. 18:2; Mark 16:5; Acts 1:10. Some take it that by these men are meant the Chaldeans or the commanders of the army that would besiege Jerusalem; others the nations and kingdoms which the Chaldeans would have for their aid and assistance in this expedition.
8 See of this gate 2 Kings 15 on verse 35; 2 Chron. 27:3; Jer. 26:10.
9 Namely, from where the Chaldeans would come who would destroy the city and the temple.
10 Namely, of those six men.
11 Hebr. the furniture of his crushing; that is, the weapon wherewith he would crush and batter in pieces.
12 Namely, distinct from the six men aforementioned, for, they were sent to destroy, having their weapons ready for it; but this Man to save, having for that purpose His inkhorn, and a command to mark the godly.
13 As a priest. See Exod. 28:39; Lev. 6:10. Some understand by this Man our only High Priest the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is sent by the Father to deliver His people from the destruction of the soul; and consequently He is not here considered in His Divine majesty and glory, which He has common with the Father and the Holy Spirit, as Ezek. 1:26, but in the state of His humiliation, and office of Mediatorship.
14 Namely, out of which the writer takes ink with his pen.
15 Understand hanging on the girdle of His loins.
16 Thus called Exod. 38:30; 2 Kings 16:14. Other, the altar of burnt offering, Exod. 30:28. Of its place see Lev. 1:3, 5. A further description of it see 2 Chron. 4 on verse 1.
3And 17the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the 18cherub, whereupon 19he was, to the 20threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorna by his side;
17 See Ezek. 1 on verse 28.
18 Understand the cherubims that were over the ark in the most holy place, for a token of God’s gracious presence with that people. Some understand the cherubims which Ezekiel saw in his vision. Compare Ezek. 10:4 with the annotation. See of the cherubims Gen. 3 on verse 24.
19 Namely, the God of Israel. Or, she was, namely the glory of God.
20 That is, the exit of the most holy place. This signifies that God wanted to part from the temple.
a inkpot
4And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and 21set a 22mark upon the foreheads 23of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst 24thereof.
21 Hebr. mark a mark. This marking was not done corporally by a visible and external mark upon the body, but spiritually, by an invisible and internal mark upon the spirit, which distinguishes true believers from all hypocrites and unbelievers. For, all this is done in a spiritual vision, and consequently not by a corporal act. Compare Rev. 7:3.
22 See previous annotation.
23 Which were the remnant of God’s people, hid among the backsliding generation.
24 Namely, of the city Jerusalem.
5¶And to 25the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after 26him through the city, and 27smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
25 Namely, the other six men, who were appointed to destroy, to kill and to root out, of whom see verse 2.
26 Namely, Who had the inkhorn on His loins, and went before. See of this Man in verse 2 and the annotations. The killing may not be done before those, who were to be saved, were marked and thus exempted from the common destruction. Compare Gen. 19:22.
27 That is, kill, destroy and root out. Compare Ezek. 7:9.
628Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man 29upon whom is the mark; and 30begin 31at my sanctuary. Then they began at the 32ancient men which were before the 33house.
28 See the fulfillment 2 Chron. 36:17.
29 Seeing some, who were marked, have also tasted of the external punishment, as namely Jeremiah who was an exile in Egypt, and others beside, understand this, as was said before, of the spiritual preservation unto salvation.
30 Namely, the slaying or killing.
31 That is, at My temple. See 2 Chron. 20 on verse 8.
32 See of these Ezek. 8:11 and the annotations.
33 That is, before the temple. Also in the sequel.
7And he said unto them, 34Defile the house, and fill 35the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and 36slew in the city.
34 Which was done by the dead bodies which were slain in it. Compare Num. 19:11; 2 Kings 23:16.
35 See of both courts, the inner and the outer court, 1 Kings 6 on verse 36.
36 That is, they made a great slaughter and killing of all sorts of men throughout the entire city. See of the word slay taken for killing, Gen. 8 on verse 21.
8¶And it came to pass, while they were slaying 37them, and 38I was left, that I fell 39upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue 40of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?
37 Namely, the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
38 Namely, supposing myself to be the only one left. Compare 1 Kings 19:10; Rom. 11:3.
39 Namely, through great amazement at God’s severe vengeance, and through compassion towards the people who were slain. Compare Gen. 17 on verse 3.
40 That is, of Judah and Benjamin, and those who of the other tribes may be mingled among them. See 2 Chron. 21:2 and the annotation.
9Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is 41exceeding great, and the land is full of 42blood, and the city full of 43perverseness: 44for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.
41 Hebr. in very very great, that is, exceeding great. Compare Gen. 17:6, 20; Ezek. 16:13.
42 Hebr. bloods, that is, slaughters, murders. See Gen. 4 on verse 10; 1 Kings 2 on verse 33.
43 Or, backsliding, or, revolting, or, wresting of judgment.
44 See Ezek. 8 on verse 12.
10And as for me also, 45mineb eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense 46their way upon their head.
45 He speaks in the future tense, because that which was related before was not really done in the act, but only in a vision, which in the prophet’s spirit was a representation and prediction of that which would be actually done in due time.
b Ezek. 5:11; 7:4; 8:18.
46 That is, punish them, as they have deserved by all their wicked deeds. See 1 Kings 8 on verse 32; Ezek. 7 on verse 3.
11And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, 47I have done 48as thou hast commanded me.
47Compare Psalm 40:8; John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38; 17:4.
48 Other, according to all that, etc.