Keraia
Ezekiel 9

Ezekiel 9:7

Execution of the Idolaters · Ezekiel 9:1–11
Read Ezekiel 9

Translations

Modern
Then He told them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go forth!” So they went out and began killing throughout the city.
Traditional
And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.
Literal
And He said to them: “Defile the house and fill the courts with the slain! Go forth!” And they went forth, and they struck in the city.
Latin
Et dixit ad eos: Contaminate domum, et implete atria interfectis; egredimini. Et egressi sunt, et percutiebant eos qui erant in civitate.

Original

Hebrew
English
Then He told them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go forth!” So they went out and began killing throughout the city.

Notes

Ezekiel 9:7

Defile the temple: In the past, Queen Athaliah was dragged out of the temple before she was executed. This was done so that her blood would not defile (make unclean) the holy place (2 Kings 11:15–16).

Now the situation was different. These idolaters were to be killed inside the temple. Their idolatry had already defiled it so deeply that nothing sacred remained there.

Without God’s holy presence, the building was no longer truly holy. Protecting its outer purity would have been an empty act

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.

Events

Glossary

Ezekiel, Book of Haggai, Book of Remnant