Ezekiel 9:8 kjv
And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?
Ezekiel 9:8 nkjv
So it was, that while they were killing them, I was left alone; and I fell on my face and cried out, and said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel in pouring out Your fury on Jerusalem?"
Ezekiel 9:8 niv
While they were killing and I was left alone, I fell facedown, crying out, "Alas, Sovereign LORD! Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel in this outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?"
Ezekiel 9:8 esv
And while they were striking, and I was left alone, I fell upon my face, and cried, "Ah, Lord GOD! Will you destroy all the remnant of Israel in the outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?"
Ezekiel 9:8 nlt
While they were out killing, I was all alone. I fell face down on the ground and cried out, "O Sovereign LORD! Will your fury against Jerusalem wipe out everyone left in Israel?"
Ezekiel 9 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel | "So the slaughter was not yet done." | Ezekiel 9:6 (completes the action) |
| Isaiah | "The LORD will rise up to His feet; He will stand to execute judgment." | Isaiah 3:13 (divine judgment) |
| Jeremiah | "Then the LORD said to me, 'Cry aloud; do not spare! Lift up your voice like a trumpet!'" | Jeremiah 49:2 (divine command) |
| Lamentations | "The Lord has done what He planned; He has carried out His sentence, the sentenceHe pronounced in days of old." | Lamentations 2:17 (divine decree) |
| Amos | "The Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets." | Amos 3:7 (divine revelation) |
| Zechariah | "And I saw, and looked, and behold, four horns." | Zechariah 1:18 (instruments of judgment) |
| Matthew | "Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father...’" | Matthew 25:34 (separation) |
| Matthew | "He will separate them from one another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." | Matthew 25:32 (separation) |
| Luke | "The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." | Luke 19:10 (salvation) |
| John | "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." | John 3:16 (divine love & salvation) |
| Acts | "And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit..." | Acts 5:32 (divine witness) |
| Romans | "For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified." | Romans 2:13 (obedience) |
| Romans | "But we must all appear before the judgment seat of God." | Romans 14:10 (divine judgment) |
| 1 Corinthians | "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ..." | 2 Corinthians 5:10 (divine judgment) |
| Hebrews | "And since it is appointed to men to die once, but after this the judgment..." | Hebrews 9:27 (judgment) |
| 1 Peter | "For the time that is left is enough for you to live according to the will of God." | 1 Peter 4:2 (God's will) |
| Revelation | "Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God..." | Revelation 7:2 (divine sealing) |
| Revelation | "This calls for wisdom. Let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast..." | Revelation 13:18 (wisdom/understanding) |
| Revelation | "But on the scrolls of the wicked it will say, ‘No peace,’ declares the LORD." | Isaiah 48:22 (judgment on wicked) |
| John | "But those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." | Daniel 12:3 (wisdom/righteousness) |
Ezekiel 9 verses
Ezekiel 9 8 Meaning
Ezekiel 9:8 states, "While I was still speaking, behold, the man clothed with linen, who had the writing kit at his side, came back and said to me, 'I have done as you commanded.'" This verse signifies the completion of the divine marking or preservation of the righteous within Jerusalem before its impending judgment and destruction. The messenger, representing divine authority and execution, reports the fulfillment of his task to God. It underscores obedience and the separation of the faithful from the condemned.
Ezekiel 9 8 Context
Ezekiel chapter 9 describes a terrifying vision where God commands a divine executioner, clad in linen with a writing kit, to mark the foreheads of those who sigh and grieve over the abominations in Jerusalem. This marking is a sign of preservation. After this, the executioners are to go through the city and strike down everyone not so marked – men, women, children, and infants. Verse 8 is the report of this first phase of judgment being completed by the specially designated agent. The destruction of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, depicted here in vivid prophetic imagery, reflects God's wrath against pervasive sin and idolatry. The contemporary audience of exiled Jews in Babylon would have understood this as a prelude to the Babylonian conquest, explaining the ultimate cause of their suffering and reaffirming God's justice.
Ezekiel 9 8 Word Analysis
- And: (Hebrew: וְ - waw) - A conjunction used for connection, indicating sequence or continuation. Here, it links the speaker's report to the preceding actions.
- while: (Hebrew: עוֹד - ‘od) - Meaning "still," "again," or "yet." Emphasizes the ongoing nature of the prophet's speaking when the report arrived.
- I: (Hebrew: אֲנִי - ’ani) - First-person singular pronoun. Refers to the prophet Ezekiel.
- was speaking: (Hebrew: אָמַר - ’amar, Hithpael stem) - "to say," "to speak." The Hithpael stem can indicate repetition or emphasis; here, it emphasizes the continuous act of speaking.
- behold: (Hebrew: הִנֵּה - hinneh) - An interjection calling attention. Draws the reader's focus to the sudden arrival of the messenger.
- the man: (Hebrew: הָאִישׁ - ha-’ish) - "the man." Refers to the specific celestial messenger.
- clothed with linen: (Hebrew: לָבוּשׁ - lavush, BMGH) - "clothed" (participle). (Hebrew: בֻּץ - butz) - "fine linen." This describes the man's attire, typically associated with priests or celestial beings, suggesting purity and divine authority.
- who had the writing kit at his side: (Hebrew: וְכֶתֶב - vekhetav, BMGH) - "and an inkhorn," or writing kit. (Hebrew: אֶצְלוֹ - ’etso)* - "at his side," "with him." Indicates the tool of his commission – the marking.
- came: (Hebrew: שָׁב - shav, Hiphil stem) - "to return," "to come back." The Hiphil stem implies causing oneself to return, signifying a deliberate movement.
- and said: (Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyomer, Waw Consecutive) - "and he said." The waw consecutive marks the sequential action of speaking after returning.
- to me: (Hebrew: אֵלַי - ’elai) - "to me." Refers to the prophet Ezekiel.
- Behold, I have done: (Hebrew: הִנֵּה - hinneh) - "Behold," draws attention to the completed action. (Hebrew: עָשִׂיתִי - ’asitih, Qal Perfect) - "I have done." The perfect tense emphasizes the completed action.
- as you have commanded me: (Hebrew: כַּאֲשֶׁר - ka’asher) - "according as," "as." (Hebrew: צִוִּיתָה - tsivvita, Qal Perfect) - "you have commanded." "me" (ni) - first-person singular suffix. This phrase confirms the obedient execution of the divine order.
Words-Group by Words-Group Analysis:
- "the man clothed with linen, who had the writing kit at his side": This entire phrase identifies the special messenger. The linen garment is symbolic of purity and spiritual function, aligning with angelic or priestly roles in scripture. The writing kit underscores his specific divine mission of judgment and preservation through marking.
- "came and said to me, 'Behold, I have done as you have commanded me.'": This reports the successful execution of his orders. The "behold" highlights the definitive nature of his work, and the explicit statement of obedience connects directly to God's prior instruction, showcasing divine order and the accountability of even celestial agents.
Ezekiel 9 8 Bonus Section
The messenger's commission echoes themes of divine discernment found throughout Scripture. The distinction between those marked and those not marked parallels other instances where God distinguishes between His people and outsiders, or between the righteous and the wicked. The imagery of "the writing kit" has been interpreted by some scholars to signify the register of life, or a spiritual decree inscribed by God. The finality of the messenger's report ("I have done") underlines the immutability of God's judgment once declared and executed upon His own decree. This verse underscores that God's actions are always purposeful and meticulously carried out, whether in judgment or in salvation.
Ezekiel 9 8 Commentary
The return and report of the linen-clad messenger confirm the judgment's progression. The marking of the righteous ("sigh and cry") in chapter 9 ensured their preservation amid the sweeping destruction. This messenger, described with symbols of divine purity and authority (linen garment, writing kit), acted with perfect obedience, reflecting God's justice. His completed task serves as a pivotal moment in Ezekiel's vision, affirming that the divinely appointed selective judgment had been executed precisely according to God's command, before the final eradication of the unrighteous. The assurance from this heavenly agent reinforces God's control and the faithfulness of His execution of judgment and mercy.