Ezekiel 9:2 Komentář

The prophet had, in vision, seen the wickedness that was committed at Jerusalem, in the foregoing chapter, and we may be sure that it was not represented to him worse than really it was; now here follows, of course, a representation of their ruin approaching; for when sin goes before judgments come next. Here is, I. Preparation made of instruments that were to be employed in the destruction of the city (Eze 9:1, Eze 9:2). II. The removal of the Shechinah from the cherubim to the threshold of the temple (Eze 9:3). III. Orders given to one of the persons employed, who is distinguished from the rest, for the marking of a remnant to be preserved from the common destruction (Eze 9:3, Eze 9:4). IV. The warrant signed for the execution of those that were not marked, and the execution begun accordingly (Eze 9:5-7). V. The prophet's intercession for the mitigation of the sentence, and a denial of any mitigation, the decree having now gone forth (Eze 9:8-10). VI. The report made by him that was to mark the pious remnant of what he had done in that matter (Eze 9:11). And this shows a usual method of Providence in the government of the world.

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 9 In this chapter is contained a vision, representing the destruction of the idolatrous Jews, and the preservation of the godly that were among them, in which different persons were employed; they that were concerned in the destruction of the idolaters are described by their office; they had charge over the city; by their form and appearance, men; by their number, six; by the quarter from whence they came, the way of the higher gate northward; and by the weapons they had in their hands, slaughter ones; and by their place and posture, standing beside the brasen altar, Eze 9:1; among these were one clothed in linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side; to whom the glorious God of Israel, who was removed from the cherub to the threshold of the house, gave orders to go through the city of Jerusalem, and mark those that mourned over the abominations of it, Eze 9:3; and the rest he ordered to go through the city, and slay all of every age, and sex, and state, except those that had the mark; beginning at the sanctuary, and filling the courts with the slain; which orders were obeyed, Eze 9:5; upon which the prophet expostulates with the Lord, and intercedes for the people; but is not heard, because of the abounding of iniquity among them; their frequent shedding of blood; their perversion of justice; and their abominable infidelity and atheism; for which reasons he was determined to show them no mercy, Eze 9:8; and the chapter is closed with a report made by the man clothed with linen, that he had done as was commanded him, Eze 9:11.

And, behold, six men,.... Either angels the form of men; or the generals of Nebuchadnezzar's army, as Kimchi interprets it; whose names are, Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, Jer 39:3; these six executioners of God's vengeance are, in the Talmud (n), called "wrath, anger, fury, destruction, breach, and consumption:'' came from the way of the higher gate, Kimchi observes, from the Rabbins, that this is the eastern gate called the higher or upper gate, because it was above the court of the Israelites. Maimonides (o) says, the upper gate is the gate Nicanor; and why is it called the upper gate? because it was above the court of the women; see Kg2 15:35; which lieth toward the north: where were the image of jealousy, and the women weeping for Tammuz, and other idolatrous practices were committed; which were the cause of the coming of these destroyers: moreover, the Chaldean army with its generals came out of the north; for Babylon lay north or northeast of Jerusalem; and so this gate, as Kimchi says, was northeast; and he adds, and Babylon was northeast of the land of Israel; see Jer 1:13; and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; as ordered, Eze 9:1, a different word is here used; it signifies a hammer, with which rocks are broken in pieces, as the above mentioned Jewish writer observes. The Septuagint render it an axe or hatchet: and one man among them; not one of the six, but who made a seventh. The Jews say this was Gabriel (p); but this was not a created angel, as they; nor the Holy Spirit as Cocceius; but the Son of God, in a human form; he was among the six, at the head of them, as their leader and commander; he was but one, they six; one Saviour, and six destroyers: was clothed with linen; not in the habit of a warrior, but of a priest; who, as such, had made atonement for the sins of his people, and intercession for them; and this may also denote the purity of his human nature, and his unspotted righteousness, the fine linen, clean and white, which is the righteousness of the saints: and with a writer's inkhorn by his side; or "at his loins" (q); nor a slaughter weapon, as the rest; but a writer's inkhorn; hence Kimchi takes him to be the king of Babylon's scribe; but a greater is here meant; even he who took down the names of God's elect in the book of life; and who takes an account, and keeps a book of the words, and even thoughts, of his people and also of their sighs, groans, and tears; see Mal 3:16; but now his business was to mark his people, and distinguish them from others, in a providential way; and keep and preserve them from the general ruin and destruction that was coming upon Jerusalem: or, "a girdle on his lions", as the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions render it; and so was prepared and fit for business; which sense of the word is approved of by Castel (r); and he asks, what has an inkhorn to do at a man's loins? but it should be observed, that it was the custom of the eastern people to carry inkhorns at their sides, and particularly in their girdles, as the Turks do now; who not only fix their knives and poniards in them, as Dr. Shaw (s) relates; but the "hojias", that is, the writers and secretaries, hang their inkhorns in them; and by whom it is observed, that that part of these inkhorns which passes between the girdle and the tunic, and holds their pens, is long and flat; but the vessel for the ink, which rests upon the girdle, is square, with a lid to clasp over it: and they went in; to the temple, all seven: and stood beside the brasen altar; the altar of burnt offering, so called to distinguish it from the altar of incense, which was of gold; here they stood not to offer sacrifice, but waiting for their orders, to take vengeance for the sins committed in the temple, and at this altar; near to which stood the image of jealousy, Eze 8:5. (n) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 55. 1. (o) Hilchot Cele Hamikdash, c. 7. sect. 6. (p) T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 77. 1. & Gloss. in ib. (q) "in lumbis suis", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. (r) Lexic. Polyglott. col. 3393. (s) Travels, p. 227. Ed. 2.

(Verses 2, 3) And behold, six men were coming from the way of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand. And there was one man among them clothed in linen, with a scribe's inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar. And the glory of the God (Vulgate: Lord) of Israel went up from the cherub on which it rested to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the scribe's inkhorn at his side. According to the lines, which we have interpreted alongside Symmachus, LXX, ποδήρη; Theodotius translated the Hebrew word Baddim (); Aquila, the chief, interpreted. Again, when we said, and the writer's inkwell at his kidneys, they put LXX: And a sapphire belt on his kidneys; Theodotius, the scribal pen in his hand; Aquila, μελανοδοχεῖον, that is, the writer's inkwell at his loins; Symmachus had writing tablets at his kidneys. And when we moved, the threshold of the house, the Seventy and Theodotion, the open area, that is, placed the entrance under the sky. As for the vase, which each man held in his hands, only the Seventy interpreted it as an axe. Therefore, in order to atone for the sins of man, who were made on the sixth day of the creation of the world, six men come and descend from the upper gate, or as the Seventy translated, the heights to the North. And each person had an ax in their hands, about which John speaks: For now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Matt. III, Luke III, 9). And in the middle of the six men there was one, that is, the seventh, dressed in the garments of a high priest, made of linen, and he had a scribe's inkwell at his kidneys, with which he would record the sins of all and separate the number of holy individuals from the sinners: or a sapphire belt of the color of a sapphire stone, which is in the ornaments of the high priest. Six men went out and stood next to the brazen altar. There were two altars: one for burning incense, golden inside; and the other in front of the temple, bronze for burnt offerings. They are said to stand ready by the altar to carry out the commands of the one who commands, so that if they see any sins not forgiven there, they may know the judgment of the Lord and subject themselves to his punishment. The glory of the God of Israel also ascended, or was taken up, from one Cherub and went to the threshold, or to the inner court of the house and vestibule, which is not covered but enjoys the freedom of the air. The glory of the Lord Himself called the man, who was in the attire of a high priest and had an inkwell in his loins, and said what the Scripture testifies. Some interpret the six men as six Angels who obey the will of God, and they understand the one who had the attire of a high priest as the Savior; in accordance with that, the Priest is both the Angel of great counsel and that which is said: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4). However, what the Seventy translated as 'podērē' is one of the eight vestments of the high priest, which is called 'talaris' in Latin; and it receives this name because it reaches down to the feet. I know that I published a book about the vestments of the high priest many years ago, and I am sending the reader the explanation of it. For I cannot say everything in every place, and when I asked Aquila and Theodotion what the Hebrew word 'כַּ֫סְתָּ֥ח' meant, they replied to me in Greek that it is called 'καλαμάριον', because it is adorned with reeds. We call ink 'atramentarium' because it contains ink. Many people call it a more significant name, 'thecas', because they are the cases of writing quills. Of the four Cherubim, one Cherub is sent from the glory of the Lord's majesty to speak to the one who was clothed in the garments of the pontiff. And although many think that 'τὰ χερουβεὶμ' should be said in the neutral gender and plural number, we must know that 'Cherub' is singular in number, masculine in gender, and its plural is 'Cherubim' of the same gender: not because there is gender among the ministers of God, but because each thing is called by different genders according to the properties of their language. Angels are called by the plural number Malachim, and Cherubim, and Seraphim of the same kind and number. Furthermore, Sabaoth, which is interpreted as hosts or armies and virtues, are called by the feminine gender, plural number, and end in the final syllable Oth (). However, those who want the Savior to be understood under the figure of a pontiff use the example from the Book of Revelation of John, in which it is written: And I turned and saw a voice that spoke with me. And when I turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, and so on.

The vision in this chapter seems intended to denote the general destruction of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, excepting a few pious individuals that were distressed at the abominations that were committed in the land; who, in order to be delivered from the general calamity, were Marked, in allusion, perhaps, to the custom of eastern princes, who marked their servants in the forehead, or rather to the custom very frequent among the Pagan worshippers, of indelibly imprinting on different parts of their body the marks of their idols. To indicate, likewise, that God was soon to forsake the temple, the shechinah, or glorious symbol of his presence, is seen to remove from the inner sanctuary to the threshold or door of the temple, Eze 9:1-7. The prophet intercedes for his people; but God, on account of the greatness of their sins, will not be entreated, Eze 9:8-11.

Stood beside the brazen altar - To signify that the people against whom they had their commission were, for their crimes, to be sacrificed to the demands of Divine justice.

CONTINUATION OF THE PRECEDING VISION: THE SEALING OF THE FAITHFUL. (Eze 9:1-11) cried--contrasted with their "cry" for mercy (Eze 8:18) is the "cry" here for vengeance, showing how vain was the former. them that have charge--literally, officers; so "officers" (Isa 60:17), having the city in charge, not to guard, but to punish it. The angels who as "watchers" fulfil God's judgments (Dan 4:13, Dan 4:17, Dan 4:23; Dan 10:20-21); the "princes" (Jer 39:3) of Nebuchadnezzar's army were under their guidance. draw near--in the Hebrew intensive, "to draw near quickly."

clothed with linen-- (Dan 10:5; Dan 12:6-7). His clothing marked his office as distinct from that of the six officers of vengeance; "linen" characterized the high priest (Lev 16:4); emblematic of purity. The same garment is assigned to the angel of the Lord (for whom Michael is but another name) by the contemporary prophet Daniel (Dan 10:5; Dan 12:6-7). Therefore the intercessory High Priest in heaven must be meant (Zac 1:12). The six with Him are His subordinates; therefore He is said to be "among them," literally, "in the midst of them," as their recognized Lord (Heb 1:6). He appears as a "man," implying His incarnation; as "one" (compare Ti1 2:5). Salvation is peculiarly assigned to Him, and so He bears the "inkhorn" in order to "mark" His elect (Eze 9:4; compare Exo 12:7; Rev 7:3; Rev 9:4; Rev 13:16-17; Rev 20:4), and to write their names in His book of life (Rev 13:8). As Oriental scribes suspend their inkhorn at their side in the present day, and as a "scribe of the host is found in Assyrian inscriptions accompanying the host" to number the heads of the slain, so He stands ready for the work before Him. "The higher gate" was probably where now the gate of Damascus is. The six with Him make up the sacred and perfect number, seven (Zac 3:9; Rev 5:6). The executors of judgment on the wicked, in Scripture teaching, are good, not bad, angels; the bad have permitted to them the trial of the pious (Job 1:12; Co2 12:7). The judgment is executed by Him (Eze 10:2, Eze 10:7; Joh 5:22, Joh 5:27) through the six (Mat 13:41; Mat 25:31); so beautifully does the Old Testament harmonize with the New Testament. The seven come "from the way of the north"; for it was there the idolatries were seen, and from the same quarter must proceed the judgment (Babylon lying northeast of Judea). So Mat 24:28. stood--the attitude of waiting reverently for Jehovah's commands. brazen altar--the altar of burnt offerings, not the altar of incense, which was of gold. They "stood" there to imply reverent obedience; for there God gave His answers to prayer [CALVIN]; also as being about to slay victims to God's justice, they stand where sacrifices are usually slain [GROTIUS], (Eze 39:17; Isa 34:6; Jer 12:3; Jer 46:10).