Ezekiel 9 6

Ezekiel 9:6 kjv

Slay utterly old and young, both maids, 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 ancient men which were before the house.

Ezekiel 9:6 nkjv

Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were before the temple.

Ezekiel 9:6 niv

Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary." So they began with the old men who were in front of the temple.

Ezekiel 9:6 esv

Kill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but touch no one on whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were before the house.

Ezekiel 9:6 nlt

Kill them all ? old and young, girls and women and little children. But do not touch anyone with the mark. Begin right here at the Temple." So they began by killing the seventy leaders.

Ezekiel 9 verses

Ezekiel 9 6 Meaning

Ezekiel 9:6 details a divine command given to six executioners to slaughter the inhabitants of Jerusalem without discrimination, targeting every age and gender: old and young, virgins, little children, and women. This widespread destruction is, however, to bypass any individual who possesses a special mark on their forehead. Crucially, the judgment is commanded to begin at God's own sanctuary, and the vision records that the executioners commenced with the elders who were stationed at the front of the temple. The verse underscores the severity of divine wrath against rampant idolatry and moral corruption within Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 9 6 Context

Ezekiel 9:6 takes place within a vision experienced by the prophet Ezekiel during his exile in Babylon. The preceding chapter, Ezekiel 8, vividly details the widespread idolatry and abominable practices taking place within the very precincts of the Temple in Jerusalem. God reveals to Ezekiel four specific levels of abominations: a provocative image of jealousy, seventy elders worshipping idols in a hidden chamber, women weeping for Tammuz (a pagan deity), and twenty-five men worshipping the sun. This systemic corruption, reaching even the most sacred spaces and involving the spiritual leaders of Israel, explains the severe divine response in Chapter 9. God's patience has ended, and judgment is inevitable, illustrating His holy indignation against a people who had deeply defiled His dwelling place. The historical context is pre-586 BC, as Jerusalem is still standing, but facing its imminent destruction by Babylon as God's instrument of judgment for the nation's profound unfaithfulness.

Ezekiel 9 6 Word analysis

• Slay utterly: The Hebrew phrase is harog harog (הָרוֹג הָרֹג), an infinitive absolute construction which intensifies the verb. It conveys an emphatic command for total, absolute, merciless slaughter, leaving no survivors. This emphasizes the irreversible nature of the judgment.
• Old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: This comprehensive list (miqqāshīsh wəbāhûr מִקָּשִׁישׁ וּבָחוּר, batulāh wəṭāp̱ wânāshîm בְּתוּלָה וָטַף וְנָשִׁים) underlines the indiscriminatory nature of the judgment against the sinful city. No demographic group is spared, reflecting the complete pervasiveness of sin and God's absolute judgment, breaking common wartime practices that sometimes spared these groups.
• But come not near any man upon whom is the mark: This phrase (wə ʾal-tik̠bū qārav̄ ləkāl-ʾîš ʾăšer- וְעַל־תִּגְעוּ בְכָל־אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־) creates a crucial distinction. The mark provides divine protection amidst destruction. The agents of judgment are explicitly forbidden to harm the marked.
• The mark: In Hebrew, tāw (תָּו). This is the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In ancient Paleo-Hebrew script, the tāw often appeared as an "X" or a "cross" (+ or ×). This visible sign signifies belonging, ownership, or covenant protection. It functions as a clear physical differentiator of God's faithful from the condemned. Some scholars connect its ancient "cross" shape to foreshadowing the mark of Christ.
• And begin at my sanctuary: (Hebrew: umiqqādshî tāḫelû וּמִקְדָּשִׁי תָּחֵלּוּ) This directive is highly significant. God's own dwelling place, the holiest site for Israel, is where the judgment must commence. This highlights that corruption in worship and among leadership provokes God's most immediate and severe anger, making His holiness evident. It refutes any notion of automatic security based on proximity to sacred places.
• Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house: The executioners obeyed, starting with the zeqēnîm (זְקֵנִים), the elders or old men. These were likely the same seventy elders seen in Ezekiel 8:11, who were complicit in or actively leading the idolatrous practices inside the temple. Their position "before the house" (perhaps meaning at the entrance or inside the temple court) suggests their prominence and responsibility in Jerusalem's spiritual leadership. This shows accountability starts at the top, among those entrusted with sacred duty.

Words-group analysis

• Slay utterly... but come not near any man upon whom is the mark: This contrast highlights the dual aspects of divine justice: unsparing wrath against the unrepentant and protective grace for the faithful. The comprehensive judgment underscores the severity of Jerusalem's apostasy, while the "mark" reveals God's sovereignty and selective mercy, differentiating between the righteous remnant and the unrighteous majority.
• Begin at my sanctuary... the ancient men which were before the house: This grouping emphasizes that spiritual corruption and leadership failure are paramount in incurring divine judgment. God initiates purification from the source of defilement within His own dwelling place and with those responsible for its upkeep and spiritual integrity. It signals that those closest to God in position bear the greatest responsibility and face the gravest consequences for disobedience.

Ezekiel 9 6 Bonus section

The concept of a "mark" for divine protection found in Ezekiel 9:6 resonates across various biblical narratives. It symbolizes God's direct intervention to distinguish His faithful during periods of sweeping judgment. The taw, as the final letter of the Hebrew alphabet, sometimes suggests an end, completeness, or an ultimate seal. Its ancient form resembling a cross has led some Christian interpreters to see it as a prefiguring symbol of the cross of Christ, indicating that ultimate protection and salvation are found through Him. This connection deepens the significance of the mark beyond simple identification, pointing towards the atoning work that would ultimately save God's people from a greater, eternal judgment.

Ezekiel 9 6 Commentary

Ezekiel 9:6 presents a stark illustration of God's righteous judgment against severe religious and moral defilement, particularly within His own people. The command for "utter slaughter" signifies a divine wrath so profound that it spares no age or social group, reflecting the complete pervasive nature of sin within Jerusalem. Yet, God's justice is also highly selective, as the instruction to spare those bearing "the mark" introduces the element of His distinguishing grace. This mark, the taw, symbolizes identification with God, protecting a faithful remnant amidst destruction. Most powerfully, the decree for judgment to "begin at my sanctuary" underscores God's absolute holiness and His demand for purity in worship. Those in positions of spiritual authority, symbolized by the "ancient men before the house," are judged first because their failure to uphold God's standards directly led to the nation's spiritual decay, making them the primary objects of His initial wrath. This verse stands as a powerful testament to divine accountability and the unwavering standard of God's righteousness.