Ezekiel 9:2

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. ONE MAN AMONG THEM WAS CLOTHED WITH LINEN - his clothing marked his office as distinct from that of the six officers of vengeance. "Linen" characterized the high priest (), being emblematic of purity. A linen coat, linen breeches, linen girdle, and linen mitre were worn by the high priest. The same garment is assigned to the angel of the Lord (for which Michael is but another name) in the contemporary prophet Daniel (; Daniel 12:6). Th...

Now the Prophet writes that God’s command was not vain or empty, because the effect appears directly by vision. Therefore six men offered themselves. Why again he names six, rather than more or fewer, I have not found out. For some cite the thirty-ninth chapter of Jeremiah, where eight leaders are referred to who were in Nebuchadnezzar’s army, and had the chief authority; but first they vary in number, then they twist themselves in many ways. But I am not so anxiously curious, nor does it seem to me of any consequence, unless perhaps God wished to show his servant that a little band was sufficient, and that there was no need of a large army: or by six men he confusedly designated the whole army. It is certain indeed that Nebuchadnezzar came surrounded with a large force to destroy the city; but in the meantime God wished to destroy that pride and contumacy of the people, since he only sh...

1-4 It is a great comfort to believers, that in the midst of destroyers and destructions, there is a Mediator, a great High Priest, who has an interest in heaven, and in whom saints on earth have an interest. The representation of the Divine glory from above the ark, removed to the threshold, denoted that the Lord was about to leave his mercy-seat, and to pronounce judgment on the people. The distinguishing character of this remnant that is to be saved, is such as sigh and cry to God in prayer, because of the abominations in Jerusalem. Those who keep pure in times of general wickedness, God will keep safe in times of general trouble and distress....

Verse Ezekiel 9:2. _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....

SIX MEN - angels of wrath - figurative of destruction. They come from the north, the quarter from which invading armies entered the holy land. These “six” angels, with the “one among them,” a superior over the six, make up the number “seven,” a number symbolic of God’s covenant with His people. THE HIGHER GATE - The north gate of the court of the priests. The temple rose by platforms; as there was a north gate to the outer and also to the inner court, the latter was probably distinguished as the “higher gate.” It was built by Jotham 2 Kings 15:35. CLOTHED WITH LINEN - The priestly garment Exodus 28:6, Exodus 28:8

EXPOSITION EZEKIEL 9:1 HE CRIED, etc. The voice comes, as before, from the human form, seen as a theophany, in the midst of the Divine glory. CAUSE THEM THAT HAVE CHARGE OVER THE CITY. The noun is an abstract plural, commonly rendered "visitation" (Isaiah 10:3; Jeremiah 11:23, and elsewhere). Here, however, it clearly stands for persons (just as we use "the watch" for "the watchmen"), and is so used in Isaiah 60:17; 2 Kings 11:18 (comp....

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, Jeremiah 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 2 Kings 15:35; WHICH LIETH TOWARD THE NORTH: where were the image of jealo

Ezekiel 9:1. The six men mentioned are angels, into whose hands the city is given. Angels are used in judgments past and future. (See Matthew 13:41; Matthew 16:27; 2 Thessalonians 1:7 .) Angels are likewise prominently mentioned in the book of Revelation. There is a striking correspondency between this chapter and Revelation 7:1. Those who sigh and weep constitute the remnant which have no sympathy with the abominations. They are marked for preservation. Thus a remnant was then kept. Well may we remember that now, in the professing church,

EZEKIEL 9. THE PITILESS SLAUGHTER OF THE SINNERS. The doom has been abundantly justified; now it comes, and in bloody form. In obedience to a ringing summons, seven angels come forth to execute it six armed with deadly weapons, the seventh arrayed in priestly linen and with an inkhorn hanging at his side, ready to put the sign of the cross (the mark in Ezekiel 9:4 is the letter _taw,_ which in the old alphabet was a cross) upon the brows of the few who were to be spared in the coming destruction, because they sighed and cried over the sin of Jerusalem. At this point comes the ominous reminder that Yahweh is gradually departing from the guilty city: already His glory has left the holy place where the cherubim were and moved to the threshold of the Temple. Then there rings out the awful command to the destroying angels, uttered by Yahweh Himself, to slay without mercy all old and young, ma...

BEHOLD. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6. SIX MEN. Evidently supernatural. Angels are often called "men". MEN. _Heb,_ plural _of enosh._ App-14. MAN. Hebrew. _'ish_. App-14. WEAPON. A various reading called _Sevir,_ with some codices, one early printed edition, and Syriac, reads weapons (plural) A WRITER'S INKHORN. See Eze 9:41. Seen in use in the East to this day....