Ezekiel 9 2

Ezekiel 9:2 kjv

And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.

Ezekiel 9:2 nkjv

And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer's inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Ezekiel 9:2 niv

And I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Ezekiel 9:2 esv

And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand, and with them was a man clothed in linen, with a writing case at his waist. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Ezekiel 9:2 nlt

Six men soon appeared from the upper gate that faces north, each carrying a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man dressed in linen, who carried a writer's case at his side. They all went into the Temple courtyard and stood beside the bronze altar.

Ezekiel 9 verses

Ezekiel 9 2 Meaning

Ezekiel 9:2 describes the emergence of six divinely appointed agents of judgment, each bearing a weapon of destruction, and a seventh individual, clothed in linen and equipped with a scribe's writing kit. They enter through the Upper Gate, positioning themselves near the bronze altar, symbolizing the impending, meticulously recorded, and unavoidable divine judgment upon Jerusalem and its defiled Temple. This sets the stage for the spiritual marking and physical eradication of those who had participated in or passively allowed the abominations.

Ezekiel 9 2 Context

Chapter 9 of Ezekiel immediately follows the shocking vision of widespread idolatry and abomination within the very Temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 8). God had meticulously revealed to Ezekiel the deep spiritual decay of the people, from the elders to the women, engaged in various forms of pagan worship and secret idolatry. Ezekiel 9 then vividly portrays the divine response to this rebellion. The call for the 'executioners' signifies that God's patience has ended, and judgment is imminent, beginning with His own house. The historical context is the period leading up to the final destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple by the Babylonians (586 BC), following previous sieges and deportations. The people still held onto a false sense of security, believing that Jerusalem was inviolable due to God's presence, despite their apostasy. This vision shatters that illusion, emphasizing God's righteousness and commitment to covenant justice, even if it means judging His own people and His sanctuary.

Ezekiel 9 2 Word analysis

• Then behold, six men (וְהִנֵּה שִׁשָּׁה אֲנָשִׁים - v'hinneh shishshah anashim)
  • וְהִנֵּה (v'hinneh): "And behold" or "And look!" An exclamation drawing immediate attention to what is about to appear, indicating the significance and supernatural nature of the vision.
  • שִׁשָּׁה אֲנָשִׁים (shishshah anashim): "Six men." While literally 'men,' in prophetic visions, especially when acting as agents of God's will in this manner, these are understood as angelic or heavenly beings, perhaps serving as divine executioners. The number six, distinct from seven, often symbolizes man and human imperfection or opposition to God, fitting for agents of judgment against human sin. It might represent the full, sufficient number for the task.
• came from the direction of the Upper Gate (בָּאִים מִדֶּרֶךְ שַׁעַר הָעֶלְיוֹן - ba'im midderakh sha'ar ha-'elyon)
  • מִדֶּרֶךְ שַׁעַר הָעֶלְיוֹן (midderakh sha'ar ha-'elyon): "From the way of the Upper Gate." This refers to a specific architectural feature of the Jerusalem Temple complex, possibly the North Gate. In Ezekiel 8, idolatry was rampant at the entrance of the North Gate (Ez 8:5). This may symbolize judgment coming from the very direction where much of the sin and defilement originated or entered, a divine irony, or often the direction from which foreign invaders, acting as God's judgment, would approach (Jer 1:14). It underscores a precise, intentional entrance point for God's judgment.
• which faces north (הַפֹּנֶה קָדִימָה - happoneh qadima):
  • This is often debated, "קָדִימָה" (qadima) literally means 'eastward' or 'forward,' but in some contexts can refer to the direction opposite to 'west' which might imply a general direction or could be a scribal variant/confusion with "צָפוֹנָה" (northward) given the Strong's number, as the "Upper Gate" (probably "Nikanor Gate") often faced eastward, though other interpretations suggest the "North Gate." Given the association of "the North" with foreign invaders (Babylon) in Jeremiah, it reinforces the direction of God's instruments of wrath. However, the dominant textual reading in many places (and what is often translated) aligns "qadima" with "east," making the direction important for orientation within the temple context, indicating that judgment is specific to certain areas, often where the light of the sun would rise (a symbol of life or, here, its departure).
• each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand (וְאִישׁ כְּלֵי מַפָּצוֹ בְיָדוֹ - v'ish keley mappatzo v'yado)
  • כְּלֵי מַפָּצוֹ (keley mappatzo): "His weapons for smashing/breaking/shattering." This is not merely a sword but implies blunt, crushing instruments or an array of destructive tools. It highlights a complete and total destruction, leaving nothing unbroken, emphasizing the brutal nature of the impending judgment.
• And one man among them was clothed in linen (וְאִישׁ אֶחָד מִבֵּינֵיהֶם לָבֻשׁ בַּדִּים - v'ish echad mibbenehem lavush baddim)
  • אִישׁ אֶחָד (ish echad): "One man." Distinct from the other six. This unique individual serves a separate, vital purpose.
  • לָבֻשׁ בַּדִּים (lavush baddim): "Clothed in linen." Linen garments were typically worn by priests (Ex 28:39-43) for purity and by angelic beings (Dan 10:5; Rev 15:6). This attire signifies holiness, purity, and likely a sacred, priestly, or heavenly function in carrying out God's specific command, differentiating him from the agents of pure destruction.
• with a writing kit at his side (וְקֶסֶת הַסֹּפֵר בְּמָתְנָיו - v'qeset hassopher b'motnav)
  • וְקֶסֶת הַסֹּפֵר (v'qeset hassopher): "A scribe's writing kit." This consists of an inkhorn (horn-shaped container for ink), pens, and often papyrus or a scroll, suspended from the belt. This individual's role is not destruction but record-keeping and marking. This detail immediately tells the reader that there will be a distinction made among the inhabitants, an act of recording righteousness or marking for salvation/judgment. It implies a legal, administrative aspect to the divine judgment.
• and they came and stood beside the bronze altar (וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיַּעַמְדוּ אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת - vayyavo'u vayya'amdu etzel mizbeach hannechoshet)
  • אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת (etzel mizbeach hannechoshet): "Beside the bronze altar." The bronze altar (also known as the altar of burnt offering) was the central place for atonement and sacrifice in the Temple court. Their standing beside it is profoundly symbolic: it signifies that the place of atonement can no longer intercede for the people, or rather, the very defilement that made atonement impossible has led these divine agents directly to the altar, perhaps indicating that judgment begins at the very point where their false sacrifices and sin should have been atoned for. The purity and sacredness of the altar are challenged by the presence of these agents of destruction and record, foreshadowing its demise and the ending of ritual without true heart repentance.

Ezekiel 9 2 Bonus section

The composition of "six men" for destruction and "one man" for marking might allude to a total of seven figures. Seven often represents completeness and divine perfection. Here, the task of judgment is comprehensively managed – from execution to discrimination – signifying God's full and just process. The weapons described as "weapons for slaughter" (kliy mappats) might extend beyond mere physical armaments, also suggesting spiritual and societal devastation. Historically, the "Upper Gate" (Sha'ar ha-'Elyon) has been identified with various gates, including the Benjamin Gate (Jer 20:2), indicating an entrance leading into the temple courts from the north or east. Its directional significance, whether north or east, ties into how the Babylonian forces approached Jerusalem and entered its sacred precincts. The imagery of "men" versus angels is deliberately ambiguous, allowing for a multifaceted understanding of God's instruments – whether human armies, angelic beings, or both – used to execute His sovereign will on earth. This ambiguity also adds to the terror, as these beings operate with a divine mandate beyond typical human limitations.

Ezekiel 9 2 Commentary

Ezekiel 9:2 is a crucial prophetic scene illustrating the inescapable nature of God's judgment and His meticulous discernment within it. The six agents of destruction, armed with 'shattering weapons,' vividly convey the devastating wrath awaiting those who had defiled God's holy dwelling with idolatry and moral corruption, as detailed in the previous chapter. The specificity of their entrance through the "Upper Gate" suggests a direct, pre-determined access for divine reckoning, perhaps echoing the source or route of defilement itself. The appearance of the seventh figure, clothed in linen—symbolizing purity and often a priestly or divine messenger role—and bearing a scribe's writing kit, immediately shifts the narrative from undifferentiated destruction to a more nuanced judgment. This scribe is crucial for recording and marking, as revealed in the subsequent verses, separating the righteous (those who grieve over the city's abominations) from the wicked. Their collective presence at the bronze altar, the site of atonement, tragically underscores that even this hallowed ground cannot save those upon whom judgment falls; in fact, the desecration of the sacred has led judgment right to its very heart. This scene served as a severe warning to Judah that their ritualistic practices and belief in Jerusalem's inviolability were empty without genuine obedience and purity of heart. It is a powerful illustration of divine justice beginning "at the house of God" (1 Pet 4:17).For practical usage, this passage reminds believers that outward religious observance without inward spiritual fidelity is a grievous offense to God. It underscores God's absolute commitment to holiness and justice, beginning within the faith community itself. It calls for introspection, a sincere heart lamenting sin (both personal and communal), and living distinctly from worldly compromises.