Ezekiel 9:2

Translations

Modern

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

Traditional

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.

Literal

And behold, six men, each man coming from the way of the upper gate that is facing to the north, and a man with the weapon of slaughter in his hand; and one in their midst clothed with linen, and the inkhorn of a scribe at his side. And they went in and stood beside the altar of bronze.

Latin

Et ecce sex viri veniebant de via portæ superioris, quæ respicit ad aquilonem, et uniuscujusque vas interitus in manu ejus: vir quoque unus in medio eorum vestitus erat lineis, et atramentarium scriptoris ad renes ejus: et ingressi sunt, et steterunt juxta altare æreum.

Original

Hebrew

English

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

Notes

Ezekiel 9:1–2

The prophet did not have to wait long for judgment to come.

The Lord called his angelic warriors (heavenly messengers who carry out God’s commands) to punish the city. In response, seven men appeared.

Six of the men carried deadly weapons. The seventh man was dressed in linen (the clothing often worn by priests). He carried a writer’s case, a small box used to hold writing tools.

They stood ready in the temple courtyard. They were beside the bronze altar, where sacrifices were usually offered.

Ezekiel 8:1–11:25

This section describes how the people defiled (made unclean by sin) the temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 8). Because of this sin, the Lord left the temple. After he left, the city and the temple were destroyed (9:1–11:13).

At first, this sounds like only bad news. But for those already living in exile, it was also good news. The Lord was not limited to the temple in Jerusalem. He would come to be with his people in exile.

By coming to dwell with them, the Lord showed that the exiles were not forgotten. They were the ones who carried hope for the future of God’s people.

Theme notes and profiles

God’s Glory with His People Jerusalem Temple Legislation as Theology

Events

Prophecies of Ezekielc. 593 BC

Related verses

Leviticus 16:4
He is to wear the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments. He must tie a linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are holy garments, and he must bathe himself with water before he wears them.
Ezekiel 10:2
And the LORD said to the man clothed in linen, “Go inside the wheelwork beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.
Ezekiel 10:6–7
When the LORD commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from within the wheelwork, from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel.
Revelation 15:6
And out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean and bright linen and girded with golden sashes around their chests.
2 Kings 15:35
Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 4:1
He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high.
Jeremiah 25:9
…behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.
Jeremiah 8:16–17
The snorting of enemy horses is heard from Dan. At the sound of the neighing of mighty steeds, the whole land quakes. They come to devour the land and everything in it, the city and all who dwell in it.
Jeremiah 26:10
When the officials of Judah heard these things, they went up from the king’s palace to the house of the LORD and sat there at the entrance of the New Gate.
Jeremiah 1:15
For I am about to summon all the clans and kingdoms of the north,” declares the LORD. “Their kings will come and set up their thrones at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem. They will attack all her surrounding walls and all the other cities of Judah.
Jeremiah 5:15–17
Behold, I am bringing a distant nation against you, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD. “It is an established nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know and whose speech you do not understand.
Exodus 27:1–7
“You are to build an altar of acacia wood. The altar must be square, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high.

Glossary

Ezekiel, Book of Flax Haggai, Book of Remnant Upper Gate

Topics

Girdles used for Suspending the Inkhorn Inkhorn: General Scriptures Concerning Linen: Garments for Men Made of Scribes: Wore an Inkhorn at Their Girdles

Ezekiel 9:2

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