Ezechiele 9:10 Commento

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 as for me also,.... As they have not spared the poor and the needy, the widow and the fatherless, but have perverted their judgment, and shed innocent blood: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompence their way upon their head; deal with them by the law of retaliation, and reward them according to their deserts; see Eze 7:4.

(Verse 9, 10.) And he said to me: The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. And the land is filled with blood, and the city is filled with perversity. For they said: The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see. Therefore, I will not show pity nor have mercy: I will repay their ways upon their heads. Seeing his prophet weep for the people, the Lord, in his great anger, explains the reasons: not as he thought, unjust or excessive punishment, but a deserved and just sentence. Iniquity, he says, is great among the ten tribes of Israel and the two tribes of Judah, and not only great, but exceedingly great. And he not only said this once, but repeated it forcefully, so that the punishment is as great as the magnitude of the iniquity. From this we learn, contrary to what most people think, especially the Stoics, that sins are not equal; but rather, they are either great or small, and the judgement of the punisher varies according to the quality and quantity of the sinners. 'The land is filled,' he says, 'with blood,' or as the Septuagint translates, with peoples; and the city is filled with aversion, or as the Vulgate edition has it, with iniquity and uncleanness. Not a small amount of blood has been shed, but from one end of the city to the other; and the whole city has turned away from the worship of God, and as a result it is filled with uncleanness, clearly of idolatrous filth. But the cause of such great crimes is that they believed there is no providence over the earth, nor does God care about mortal things, according to what we read elsewhere (Virgil, Book IV, Aeneid). Undoubtedly it is a task for the gods, this concern disturbs their tranquility. Because therefore they either thought that there is no providence, or that which was in other nations has now abandoned its own people: on account of this, the eye of God will not spare, nor will it have mercy: so that raging against vices, it may be appeased by virtues, and may repay their ways and sins upon their heads, either upon the principal (ἡγεμονικὸν) of the heart, or upon the leaders of the people, according to the book of Numbers, in which the leaders of the people are said to be the heads of the people.

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.

Mine eye shall not spare - They say, the Lord seeth not: this is false; I have seen all their iniquities, and do see all their abominations; and I will bring deserved judgment upon them, and then that eye which now sees will neither pity nor spare.

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."

mine eye--to show them their mistake in saying, "The Lord seeth not." recompense their way upon their head-- (Pro 1:31). Retribution in kind.