Ezekiel 9: The Mark and the Slaughter
A man clothed in linen marks the foreheads of those who grieve over the city's sins, while executioners pass through Jerusalem beginning at the sanctuary itself.
Ezekiel 9 (WEB)
1 Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause those who are in charge of the city to draw near, every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.
2 Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man in their midst clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar.
3 The glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house: and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn by his side.
4 Yahweh said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in its midst.
5 To the others he said in my hearing, Go through the city after him, and strike: don’t let your eye spare, neither have pity;
6 kill utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but don’t come near any man on whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the old men that were before the house.
7 He said to them, “Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” They went out, and struck in the city.
8 While they were killing, and I was left, I fell on my face, and cried, and said, “Ah Lord Yahweh! will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on Jerusalem?”
9 Then he said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perversion: for they say, ‘Yahweh has forsaken the land, and Yahweh doesn’t see.’
10 As for me also, my eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head.”
11 Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, “I have done as you have commanded me.”
Ezekiel 9 (KJV)
1 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.
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.
3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side;
4 And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
7 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.
8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?
9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not.
10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.
11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.
Ezekiel 9 (ASV)
1 Then he cried in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause ye them that have charge over the city to draw near, every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.
2 And behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lieth toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. And they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.
3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house: and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn by his side.
4 And Jehovah said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof.
5 And to the others he said in my hearing, Go ye through the city after him, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity;
6 slay utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but come not near any man upon whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the old men that were before the house.
7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and smote in the city.
8 And it came to pass, while they were smiting, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord Jehovah! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy wrath upon Jerusalem?
9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of wresting of judgment: for they say, Jehovah hath forsaken the land, and Jehovah seeth not.
10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way upon their head.
11 And, behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.
Summary
Following the vision of temple idolatry, God calls the executioners of the city to draw near, and six men come from the upper gate, each with a weapon of slaughter, and with them a seventh man clothed in linen carrying a writer's inkhorn at his side. As the glory of the God of Israel rises from the cherub to the threshold of the house, God commands the man in linen to go through Jerusalem and set a mark on the foreheads of all who sigh and groan over the abominations done in the city. To the others he says to follow and strike without sparing or pitying—old and young, women and children—but to touch no one who bears the mark, and to begin at the sanctuary. They begin with the elders before the temple. As the slaughter proceeds, Ezekiel falls on his face and cries out, asking whether God will destroy the whole remnant of Israel in his wrath. God answers that the iniquity of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, the land full of blood and the city full of injustice, and the people say the Lord has forsaken the land and does not see; therefore his eye will not spare. At the end, the man in linen returns and reports that he has done as commanded. The chapter shows that God carefully distinguishes the grieving faithful from the unrepentant, even as judgment falls.
Main Characters
- The man clothed in linen — A figure with a writer's inkhorn sent to mark the foreheads of those who grieve over Jerusalem's sins, sparing them from the coming slaughter.
- The Lord Yahweh — The God whose glory rises in the temple and who commands both the marking of the faithful and the judgment of the unrepentant, beginning at his sanctuary.
- Ezekiel — The prophet who, as the slaughter begins, falls on his face and intercedes, asking whether God will destroy all the remnant of Israel.
Key Verse
Ezekiel 9:4 (WEB)
Yahweh said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in its midst.
Lessons Learned
- God knows and distinguishes those who grieve over sin from those who delight in it.
- A heart that mourns over the evil around it is precious in God's sight and marked for protection.
- Judgment begins at the house of God; greater privilege means stricter accountability.
- It is right, like Ezekiel, to intercede and plead for mercy even as we acknowledge God's justice.
- God marks the mourners. He marks “the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations” (Ezekiel 9:4, WEB). Grief over sin is a sign of a living, God-fearing heart.
- The faithful are kept safe. “Don’t come near any man on whom is the mark” (Ezekiel 9:6, WEB). God seals and protects his own even amid judgment.
- Judgment begins at the sanctuary. “Begin at my sanctuary” (Ezekiel 9:6, WEB). God holds his own people, and especially their leaders, to the highest account.
- The grieving heart intercedes. Ezekiel “fell on my face, and cried” for the remnant (Ezekiel 9:8, WEB). Those who feel God's heart plead for mercy on others.
- What distinguishes those who are marked for protection from those who are struck down?
- Why does God place such value on those who “sigh and cry” over the city's abominations?
- What does it mean that judgment is to “begin at my sanctuary” (9:6)?
- How does Ezekiel's response to the slaughter model a right heart before God?
- Do you grieve over the sin around you—and in you—or have you grown numb to it? How might God renew that sensitivity?
- The marked are those who grieve over the sins of the city; the struck are the unrepentant who delight in or ignore evil (9:4-6). God's judgment is not indiscriminate; he carefully distinguishes hearts. The mark on the forehead foreshadows the way God seals and keeps his own (compare Revelation 7:3).
- To sigh and cry over abominations is evidence of a heart aligned with God's, grieved by what grieves him (9:4). In a corrupt city, such people are rare and precious. God notices not only outward conformity but the inward sorrow that hates sin and longs for righteousness.
- Beginning at the sanctuary means God judges his own house first, holding the religious leaders and worshipers to account before all others (9:6). Privilege and proximity to God increase responsibility. The New Testament echoes this: judgment begins with the household of God (1 Peter 4:17).
- Ezekiel falls on his face and intercedes, pleading for the remnant even while acknowledging God's justice (9:8). His grief and prayer model a heart that loves both God's righteousness and his people. Encourage the group that intercession is a fitting response to a world under judgment.
- This is a personal-application question. Gently invite members to consider whether sin still stirs grief in them or whether they have become indifferent. As leader, point to the marked mourners as a model, and ask God together to soften any numbness into holy sorrow and intercession.