Ezekiel 9:8 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 it came to pass, while they were slaying them,.... That were in the city: and I was left; in the temple; and the only one that was left there, the rest were slain; for there were none marked in the temple, only in the city, Eze 9:4; that I fell upon my face; as a supplicant, with great humility: and cried, and said; being greatly distressed with this awful providence: ah, Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel; the ten tribes had been carried captive before; there only remained the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and these were now threatened with an utter destruction: in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? shown in the destruction of men, both in the city and temple, by famine, pestilence, and sword.

You see, even if it is the wicked who perish, nevertheless the souls of good people are likely to show compassion when they see people being punished; and you will find each of the good people and the inspired writers making earnest supplication for them.

It is, after all, the practice of the prophets and the just to grieve not only for themselves but for the rest of humanity. If you are inclined to check that, you will find them all giving evidence of this compassion—for example, you can listen to Isaiah’s words, “Don’t put yourself out to comfort me for the destruction of the daughter of my people”; or Jeremiah, … “Who will pour water on my head and provide a fountain of tears for my eyes?” or Ezekiel, “Alas, Lord, will you destroy what remains of Israel?”

And when the slaughter was complete, I remained: and I fell upon my face, and crying out I said: Alas, Lord God, wilt thou then destroy all the remnant of Israel, pouring out thy fury upon Jerusalem? For when all those who did not have the seal were slain, the prophet fell down on his face, thinking that no one except himself had remained among the dead. And because this seemed to be contrary to the commandment that the Lord had given, that the men with sealed foreheads should not be slain, it was therefore removed from the Vulgate edition. But we, following the Hebrew truth, have established, I remained. And it should be noted that He did not say alone: as if He had said, it seemed to be contrary; but I remained, so that it is understood with the others who had marked foreheads. But in order to know distinctly what is said here, I remained, in the book of Kings, when Elijah speaks to God: Your altars have been demolished, and I alone have been left, and they seek to take my life (1 Kings 19:14); He said alone, because He did not know that others had remained. Some think that, from the person of the Lord in whose likeness Ezekiel preceded, this can be understood of the people of the Jews: when all turned aside, they became useless together (Psalm XIII). And the Prophet testifies: Save me, O Lord: for the holy one has failed (Psalm II, 1). For only the Lord has been found who did not sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth (1 Peter II). But what he inflicted, pouring out your fury upon Jerusalem, the word of outpouring shows the magnitude of the punishments, as we read elsewhere: Scorn has been poured out upon the princes (Psalm CVI, 40). And again: My steps have almost slipped (Psalm 73:2). And in a good way. The love of God has been poured out into our hearts (Romans 5:5). And: Grace has been poured upon your lips (Psalm 45:3). And on the contrary: Pour out your fury upon the nations that do not know you, and upon the kingdoms that do not invoke your name (Jeremiah 10; Psalm 79:6). And: Draw out your spear and stop those who pursue me (Psalm 35:3).

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.

Wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel, On thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? - These destroyers had slain the seventy elders, the twenty-five adorers of the sun, and the women that mourned for Tammuz; and on seeing this slaughter the prophet fell on his face, and began to make intercession.

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."

I was left--literally "there was left I." So universal seemed the slaughter that Ezekiel thought himself the only one left [CALVIN]. He was the only one left of the priests "in the sanctuary." fell upon my face--to intercede for his countrymen (so Num 16:22). all the residue--a plea drawn from God's covenant promise to save the elect remnant.

Intercession of the Prophet, and the Answer of the Lord Eze 9:8. And it came to pass when they smote and I remained, I fell upon my face, and carried, and said: Alas! Lord Jehovah, wilt Thou destroy all the remnant of Israel, by pouring out Thy wrath upon Jerusalem? Eze 9:9. And He said to me: The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is immeasurably great, and the land is full of blood-guiltiness, and the city full of perversion; for they say Jehovah hath forsaken the land, and Jehovah seeth not. Eze 9:10. So also shall my eye not look with pity, and I will not spare; I will give their way upon their head. Eze 9:11. And, behold, the man clothed in white linen, who had the writing materials on his hip, brought answer, and said: I have done as thou hast commanded me. - The Chetib נאשׁאר is an incongruous form, composed of participle and imperfect fused into one, and is evidently a copyist's error. It is not to be altered into אשּׁאר, however (the 1st pers. imperf. Niph.), but to be read as a participle נשׁאר, and taken with כּהכּותם as a continuation of the circumstantial clause. For the words do not mean that Ezekiel alone was left, but that when the angels smote and he was left, i.e., was spared, was not smitten with the rest, he fell on his face, to entreat the Lord for mercy. These words and the prophet's intercession both apparently presuppose that among the inhabitants of Jerusalem there was no one found who was marked with the sign of the cross, and therefore could be spared. But this is by no means to be regarded as established. For, in the first place, it is not stated that all had been smitten by the angels; and, secondly, the intercession of the prophet simply assumes that, in comparison with the multitude of the slain, the number of those who were marked with the sign of the cross and spared was so small that it escaped the prophet's eye, and he was afraid that they might all be slain without exception, and the whole of the remnant of the covenant nation be destroyed. The שׁארית of Israel and Judah is the covenant nation in its existing state, when it had been so reduced by the previous judgments of God, that out of the whole of what was once so numerous a people, only a small portion remained in the land. Although God has previously promised that a remnant shall be preserved (Eze 5:3-4), He does not renew this promise to the prophet, but begins by holding up the greatness of the iniquity of Israel, which admits of no sparing, but calls for the most merciless punishment, to show him that, according to the strict demand of justice, the whole nation has deserved destruction. מטּה (Eze 9:9) is not equivalent to מוהט, oppression (Isa 58:9), but signifies perversion of justice; although משׁפּט is not mentioned, since this is also omitted in Exo 23:2, where הטּה occurs in the same sense. For Eze 9:9, vid., Eze 8:12. For נתתּי 'דּרכּם בר (Eze 9:10 and Eze 11:21-22, 31), vid., Kg1 8:32. While God is conversing with the prophet, the seven angels have performed their work; and in Eze 9:11 their leader returns to Jehovah with the announcement that His orders have been executed. He does this, not in his own name only, but in that of all the rest. The first act of the judgment is thus shown to the prophet in a figurative representation. The second act follows in the next chapter.