2<\/strong>. six men<\/em> ] The symbolism represents the judgment of God as executed by supernatural agents, immediately under his command. These agents are called “men,” having the human form to the eyes of the prophet (cf. ch. Eze 40:3<\/span>, Eze 43:6<\/span>). Six of the men had instruments of destruction in their hands, and the seventh was clothed in linen garments with an inkhorn at his girdle. The inkhorn consisted of a case for holding the reed pens, with an inkholder attached near the mouth of the case. These inkhorns are carried in the girdle, and those worn by high officials are often of silver, richly chased and ornamented. The purpose of the inkhorn appears in Eze 9:4<\/em><\/span>. The linen garments mark the man’s divine sanctity and eminence, not priestly rank (Ew.); the high angel, Dan 10:5<\/span>; Dan 12:6<\/span>, was so clothed, as were the seven angels having the vials of wrath, the last plagues of judgment upon the world, Rev 15:6<\/span>. The seven men entering the inner court proceeded until they stood beside the brazen altar, in front of the house, whither the glory of the Lord had moved from the cherubim ( Eze 9:3<\/em><\/span>).<\/p>\n the higher gate<\/em> ] Or, upper. What this gate was is not quite clear. It is usually held to be the same gate of the inner court already mentioned, ch. Eze 8:3<\/span>; Eze 8:5<\/span>. In Ezekiel’s new temple the inner court is higher than the outer, and a flight of steps leads to the gate from the level of the outer court, but probably in the old temple the courts were much on a level. In 2Ki 15:35<\/span>, Jotham is said to have built the “upper gate” of the house of the Lord. This gate seems identical with the upper Benjamin gate, Jer 20:2<\/span>, probably also with the “new gate,” Jer 26:10<\/span>; Jer 36:10<\/span>. In the last passage this new gate is said to be in the “upper court,” which can hardly be the inner court, but rather a small court which lay at the northern extremity of the outer court, and was elevated some feet above the latter. (See plan in Encycl. Brit<\/em>., Art. Temple.) At all events the “men” came from the north side of the house into the inner court. The abominations of the people are represented as practised on the north side (ch. 8), and the Instruments of God’s vengeance approach from the same quarter.<\/p>\n the brasen altar<\/em> ] This is again obscure. It is said in 1Ki 8:64<\/span> that the brazen altar was too small to receive the burnt-offerings and the fat of Solomon’s holocausts, and that the king consecrated the middle of the court, and there burnt his offerings. Ahaz caused his priest Uriah to “build” an altar after the pattern of the altar which he saw in Damascus. This new altar must have been of stone, terminating at the top in a platform or hearth for burning the fat and sacrifices upon; and somewhat after this model the altar in Ezekiel’s new temple is to be constructed (ch. Eze 43:13-17<\/span>). The altar of Ahaz appears to have been placed in the middle of the court, further from the house than the original position of the brazen altar; and it is added that Ahaz removed the brazen altar from its former place, and set it on the north side of his new altar (2Ki 16:14<\/span>). This sense is given both by the Heb. and LXX., though the texts differ in some points. The Heb. reading is not quite natural, and as construed by some it says nothing of a removal of the brazen altar from its former place. (See W. R. Smith, Rel. of Sem<\/em>., p. 466 seq<\/em>.) The seven men took up their position either in the middle of the court in the vicinity of the altar place, or considerably nearer the house than the altar of burnt-offering.<\/p>\n Six men – <\/B>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 Gods covenant with His people.<\/P> The higher gate – <\/B>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 2Ki 15:35<\/span>.<\/P> Clothed with linen – <\/B>The priestly garment Exo 28:6<\/span>, Exo 28:8<\/span>; Lev 16:4<\/span>. This One Man (Compare Dan 10:5<\/span>; Rev 1:13<\/span>) was the angel of the covenant, the great high priest, superior to those by whom He was surrounded, receiving direct communication from the Lord, taking the coals of vengeance from between the cherubim Eze 10:2<\/span>, but coming with mercy to the contrite as well as with vengeance to the impenitent; these are attributes of Jesus Christ Joh 5:30<\/span>; Luk 2:34<\/span>; Mat 9:13<\/span>; Joh 6:39<\/span>.<\/P> A writers inkhorn – <\/B>Usually a flat case about nine inches long, by an inch and a quarter broad, and half an inch thick, the hollow of which serves to contain the reed pens and penknife. At one end is the ink-vessel which is twice as heavy as the shaft. The latter is passed through the girdle and prevented from slipping through by the projecting ink-vessel. The whole is usually of polished metal, brass, copper or silver. The man with the inkhorn has to write in the Book of Life the names of those who shall be marked. The metaphor is from the custom of registering the names of the Israelites in public rolls. Compare Exo 32:33<\/span>; Psa 69:28<\/span>; Isa 4:3<\/span>; Phi 4:3<\/span>; Rev 3:5<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 2<\/span>. Stood beside the brazen altar.<\/B><\/I>] To signify that the people against whom they had their commission were, for their crimes, to be sacrificed to the demands of Divine justice.<\/P> <\/p>\n So soon as command was given out, these ministers of Gods just displeasure appear ready to execute. <\/P> Six; <\/B>that was the precise number, neither more nor fewer. <\/P> Men.<\/B> In appearance and vision they were men, and the prophet calls them as he saw them; whether angels in the shape of men, or whether really men, needs not much inquiry; they came without delay. <\/P> From the way of the higher gate; <\/B>either because, being more inward, it is higher than the outward, as in all buildings upon ascents, where you go up by steps from the outward parts towards the inmost building; or because it was built more lofty than the other, enlarged likely by Jotham, 2Ch 27:3<\/span>. <\/P> Toward the north; <\/B>insinuating whence their destruction should come; from Babylon came that whirlwind, Eze 1:4<\/span>, which was to overthrow Jerusalem. And this north gate was the weakest, both by their sins there committed, and by its situation, which invited Antiochus and Titus to pitch their tents on that side when they besieged it, and on this side the Chaldeans did first enter. <\/P> A slaughter weapon:<\/B> see Eze 9:1<\/span>. <\/P> One man; <\/B>not companion, but as one of great authority over them, who are as officers waiting on him on every side. <\/P> Linen; <\/B>a garment proper to the priesthood, whether ordinary priest or high priest, Exo 28:42<\/span>,43<\/span>; Le 6:10<\/span>; in this habit appeared the angel, Dan 10:5<\/span>; 12:6<\/span>,7<\/span>; and a very fit resemblance of Christ, who is the only Saviour of his elect, whose names he knows as if written by him. <\/P> They went in; <\/B>all the seven, both the six executioners, and the single man clothed in linen, went into the inner court, where they stand waiting till the word be given for execution. <\/P> Stood beside the brazen altar; <\/B>either showing that they were ready to offer up many sacrifices to the just revenge of God; or to show their value, zeal, and constancy to Gods appointment, for they are not where Ahazs altar was in the middle of the court, but near the brazen altar of Gods own direction. <\/P> <\/p>\n 2. clothed with linen<\/B>(Dan 10:5<\/span>; Dan 12:6<\/span>;Dan 12:7<\/span>). His clothing markedhis office as distinct from that of the six officers of vengeance;”linen” characterized the high priest (Le16:4<\/span>); emblematic of purity. The same garment is assigned to theangel of the Lord (for whom Michael is but another name) by thecontemporary prophet Daniel (Dan 10:5<\/span>;Dan 12:6<\/span>; Dan 12:7<\/span>).Therefore the intercessory High Priest in heaven must be meant (Zec1:12<\/span>). The six with Him are His subordinates; therefore He issaid to be “among them,” literally, “in the midst ofthem,” as their recognized Lord<\/I> (Heb1:6<\/span>). He appears as a “man,” implying His incarnation;as “one” (compare 1Ti2:5<\/span>). Salvation is peculiarly assigned to Him, and so He bearsthe “inkhorn” in order to “mark” His elect (Eze9:4<\/span>; compare Exo 12:7<\/span>; Rev 7:3<\/span>;Rev 9:4<\/span>; Rev 13:16<\/span>;Rev 13:17<\/span>; Rev 20:4<\/span>),and to write their names in His book of life (Re13:8<\/span>). As Oriental scribes suspend their inkhorn at their side inthe present day, and as a “scribe of the host is found inAssyrian inscriptions accompanying the host” to number the headsof the slain, so He stands ready for the work before Him. “Thehigher gate” was probably where now the gate of Damascus is. Thesix with Him make up the sacred and perfect number, seven<\/I>(Zec 3:9<\/span>; Rev 5:6<\/span>).The executors of judgment on the wicked, in Scripture teaching, aregood, not bad, angels; the bad have permitted to them the trial ofthe pious (Job 1:12<\/span>; 2Co 12:7<\/span>).The judgment is executed by Him (Eze 10:2<\/span>;Eze 10:7<\/span>; Joh 5:22<\/span>;Joh 5:27<\/span>) through the six(Mat 13:41<\/span>; Mat 25:31<\/span>);so beautifully does the Old Testament harmonize with the NewTestament. The seven come “from the way of the north”; forit was there the idolatries were seen, and from the same quarter mustproceed the judgment (Babylon lying northeast of Judea). So Mt24:28<\/span>. <\/P> stood<\/B>the attitude ofwaiting reverently for Jehovah’s commands. <\/P> brazen altar<\/B>the altarof burnt offerings, not the altar of incense, which was of gold.<\/I>They “stood” there to imply reverent obedience; for thereGod gave His answers to prayer [CALVIN];also as being about to slay victims to God’s justice, they standwhere sacrifices are usually slain [GROTIUS],(Eze 39:17<\/span>; Isa 34:6<\/span>;Jer 12:3<\/span>; Jer 46:10<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n And, behold, six men<\/strong>,…. 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<\/span>; these six executioners of God’s vengeance are, in the Talmud n, called<\/p>\n “wrath, anger, fury, destruction, breach, and consumption:”<\/p>\n came from the way of the higher gate<\/strong>, 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 2Ki 15:35<\/span>;<\/p>\n which lieth toward the north<\/strong>: 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<\/span>;<\/p>\n and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand<\/strong>; as ordered, Eze 9:1<\/span>, 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:<\/p>\n and one man among them<\/strong>; 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:<\/p>\n [was] clothed with linen<\/strong>; 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<\/p>\n with a writer’s inkhorn by his side<\/strong>; 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<\/span>; 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:<\/p>\n and they went in<\/strong>; to the temple, all seven:<\/p>\n and stood beside the brasen altar<\/strong>; 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<\/span>.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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 shows to his servant six men who could destroy the whole city. He says therefore, that he came by the gate, or by way of a lofty gate, or higher one, which was towards the north, because Babylon lay towards that region with respect to Jerusalem. It appears therefore that the Chaldeans were here pointed out, to whom the way was direct through that gate, since it ascended from the north over against Jerusalem. He says, each man had an instrument of destruction, or of pounding. This word is derived from נפף, nephetz, which is to destroy and rub to pieces: therefore it can be taken as well for the mallet as for the act itself. There is no doubt that the Prophet meant that God’s command should not be without immediate effect: because as soon as he cried out, six men were directly at hand for obeying him, which he afterwards expresses more clearly when he says that they stood near the altar For it was a sign of their readiness to obey God’s commands when they placed themselves before the altar. But this passage is worthy of notice, because it shows us how anxiously we ought to give heed to God’s threats, which are for the most part directed against us. In order that we may learn to rouse ourselves from our torpor, here as in a glass the conjunction of God’s vengeance with his threats is proposed to us. For as soon as he had spoken, we see that there were six men armed and drawn up for destroying the city. But God wished to show his Prophet this vision, because his business was with a hard and stupid people, as we have already seen. God’s voice was as it were their final doom: just as if a trumpet resounded, and announced that there was no hope of pardon unless the enemy gave himself up directly. So therefore God exclaimed with a loud voice, but this was no empty cause of fright, because he directly joined the execution of it, when six men appeared before the altar. But he calls the altar which Solomon had built of square stones brazen: even the brazen altar was not sufficient, but it looks to its first origin. <\/p>\n Now he says that there was among them, one man clothed with a linen garment (1Kg 8:64<\/span>.) He is not placed among the multitude, as one among the others, but he is separated, because his signification is distinct. This man then doubtless sustained the character of an angel, and it is sufficiently customary in Scripture that angels, when they take a visible form, should be called men: not because they are really men, but because God endues them with such forms as he sees fit. Some, whose opinion I do not altogether reject, restrict this to Christ. But because the Prophet adds no remarkable traits, I had rather receive it generally of any angel. He says therefore, that there was among the Chaldeans, who were prepared to execute God’s vengeance, one man clad in a linen garment A distinct mark is sometimes given to angels which separates them from men. The linen garment was then a remarkable ornament. And the sacrificing Papists, as if they were apes, have imitated that custom in their garments called surplices. But since priests were accustomed to be clad in linen robes, here the angel was represented to the Prophet in this garb. Now let us go on, because in the next verse it will be evident why mention was made of that angel. <\/p>\n (2) One man among them was clothed with linen.<\/strong>He was among <\/em>them, but not of them. There were six with weapons, and this one without a weapon formed the seventh, thus making up the mystical number so often used in Scripture. He was clothed in linen, the ordinary priestly garment, and the special garment of the high priest at the ceremonies on the great Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16<\/span>); yet also used by others, and on other occasions, simply as a garment of purity and of distinction (comp. Dan. 10:5<\/span>), so that there is no need here to suppose a priestly character attached to this one. He carried in his girdle the inkhorn, i.e., <\/em>the little case, containing pens, knife, and ink, commonly worn by the Oriental scribe. There is no occasion to understand this person either, on the one hand, as a representation of the Babylonian god Nebo, the scribe of heaven, nor, on the other, as is done by many commentators, of our Lord. There is nothing mentioned which can give him any special identification. He is simply a necessity of the vision, an angelic messenger, to mark out those whose faithfulness to God amid the surrounding evil exempts them from the common doom (comp. Rev. 7:3<\/span>). This party are seen coming from the way of the higher gate. The courts of the Temple were built in stages, the innermost the highest. This, then, was the gate of the inner court, and was on the north, both as the place where the prophet had been shown the idolatries, and as the quarter from which the Chaldan destruction was poured out upon the nation. They took their station beside the brazen altar, as the central point at once of the true worship of Israel and of the present profanation of that worship.<\/p>\n 2<\/strong>. <\/strong> Six men every man a slaughter weapon in his hand <\/strong> These were symbolic of the divine executioners. In what form they appeared, other than that they looked like men, is not stated. Did they to the prophet’s eyes appear as the temple butchers, or as angels (Eze 40:3<\/span>; Eze 43:6<\/span>), or as Assyrians? The latter actually were the future destroyers of Jerusalem. In any case they were symbolic representatives of supernaturally directed powers. As six was the usual symbol of the world and its satanic acts, and as a marked distinction is made between these and the seventh, it may be that these represented worldly heathen forces overruled and controlled by the heavenly. <\/p>\n From the way of the gate <\/strong> Which was the higher or upper gate is not made certain in the context. One thing is positive, however, that the agents of punishment came out of one of the northern gates; either entering the temple through the north gate of the outer court or coming out of the holy place from the northern gate of the sanctuary, thus passing through the very doors which had so recently opened for the abominable idol worshipers (chap. 8). The fact that in Ezekiel’s temple the innermost gate was the highest (Jer 36:10<\/span>), together with the appropriateness of God’s agents of justice coming from his own holy place, makes it most probable that these ministers of Jehovah first appeared coming from the temple sanctuary. <\/p>\n One clothed with linen <\/strong> This man completes the sacred symbolic number of perfection. God’s ministers of justice are seven. No more are needed. This number suggests also the fact that these agents are engaged in holy work. To punish is as divine as to forgive. This seventh man is the divine scribe, who knows the names of all God’s people (Eze 9:4<\/span>). He is the priestly mediator between God’s justice and human sin. He is the divine executive and evidently chief of the seven (Eze 9:3<\/span>). Orelli and many others do not hesitate to see in him the “Angel of the Covenant” (Zec 1:11<\/span>; Jos 5:14<\/span>; Gen 17:1<\/span>). White linen garments are always the symbol of purity. (Compare Dan 10:5<\/span>; Dan 12:6<\/span>; Lev 16:4<\/span>; Rev 15:6<\/span>.) <\/p>\n Stood beside the brazen altar <\/strong> This was in the inner court. (Compare Eze 43:13-17<\/span>.) Coming from the holy of holies, these mysterious messengers of Jehovah pause at the altar for further commands.<\/p>\n ‘And behold six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies towards the north, every one with his weapon for destruction in his hand, and one man in the midst of them, clothed in linen, with a writer’s kit hanging by his side (‘on his loins’). And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.’<\/p>\n Seven heavenly ‘men’ now entered the temple area, six equipped for destruction and one for mercy (compare Rev 8:2<\/span>; Rev 8:6<\/span>). In all Near Eastern nations seven was the number of divine perfection and completeness. These men were thus seen as complete for the divine task in hand. The fact that they came from a northerly direction was probably either to indicate the direction from which judgment was coming, or to confirm that they came from the heavenly dwelling place of God (see on Eze 1:4<\/span>). They entered by the way where the women were weeping for Tammuz (Eze 8:14<\/span>), and the image of jealousy had its place (Eze 8:5<\/span>). They saw enough to stir their righteous anger.<\/p>\n They entered in a group with the man with the writing kit in the middle. He was clothed in linen. This regularly denotes a heavenly personality (Dan 10:5<\/span>; Dan 12:6-7<\/span>; Rev 15:6<\/span>). The remainder were probably dressed as warriors, and the weapon held ready in the hand was always an indication of judgment. But we must not see the man with the writing kit as being of a different temper than the others, for he is the one who will throw the coals of judgment over Jerusalem (Eze 10:2<\/span>). He merely has a different function. All are one in their actions. The group reminds us that in the midst of God’s judgments there is always mercy for those who respond to Him.<\/p>\n The word for ‘writing kit’ is found only here and may well be an Egyptian loan word (qeset from Egyptian gsti). Such a writing kit was usually made from animal horn or wood. It would have a palette with a long groove for the rush pens and circular hollows for two kinds of ink, usually black and red. It was a kit that would be carried by professional scribes.<\/p>\n ‘And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.’ This bronze altar was the old altar from Solomon’s temple which had been replaced with a stone altar by Ahaz, which he patterned on a Syrian altar (2Ki 16:14<\/span>), the old bronze altar being removed and put to the north of the stone altar for the king to ‘enquire by’ (2Ki 9:15<\/span>). But this was the altar recognised by Yahweh. This is another indication of how the temple had been defiled. God had not overlooked the replacing of His altar with a foreign altar. From the true altar His mercy and judgment would reach out.<\/p>\n The action is very significant. On that bronze altar had been offered sacrifices for Israel for many generations. There atonement had been made. It had also been a place of sanctuary when there was nowhere else to go. Men could flee to the altar (1Ki 1:50<\/span>; 1Ki 2:28<\/span>). But now the right of sanctuary was lost. The sacrifices had ceased. God was deserting His temple and His altar. It was no longer a holy place.<\/p>\n Eze 9:2<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>Inkhorn<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> That the easterns wore it suspended from the girdle, see Shaw’s Travels, p. 293 fol. 227. 40. <\/p>\n See commentary on Eze 9:1<\/span><\/p>\n I beseech the Reader, to pay the greatest attention to what is here said, and may God the Holy Ghost, be his Instructor. I should conceive, that by what is related of six persons, and one particularly distinguished among the rest, is meant seven in number; six angels, and one person yet more, eminent. And who could this be but the glory-man Christ Jesus? They were for destruction: but his office is mercy. The writer’s ink-horn by his side, seems to define his character. Surely Jesus marked down the names of all his redeemed, when first he received them from the Father in the book of life. He did not die peradventure, and at an uncertainty, for an undetermined number; for he saith himself, that the power he had given him over all flesh, as mediator, (and no power could be given to him but as mediator, for all power was his as God, originally and underived, in common with the Father and the Holy Ghost, for all eternity,) was for this express purpose, that he should give eternal life to as many as were given him. Joh 17:2<\/span> . And therefore, as this was secret, known only to the Persons of the Godhead, angels not being privy to the solemn transactions, yea, not in being, when done; it was proper that the great Mediator, and Redeemer, should be present, when the angels came to destroy; and to mark his own, as a security from their destroying weapons. And I cannot but think, that the figure of a writer’s ink-horn by his side, (alluding perhaps to the custom among men, who when they write abroad, fasten the ink-horn for convenience to their side) hath no unapt resemblance to the pierced side of Jesus on the cross, from whence issued blood and water. For as all the redeemed of the Lord are washed in his blood, so the mark by which they are known is the same. I do not presume to say, that this conjecture is right: but I confess to me it appears highly probable, and I love to discover Jesus everywhere, and in everything of mercy: for sure I am there can be no mercy but in him, and where he is. Who should write the names of his people in the Lamb’s book of life, but the Lamb? Rev 20:15<\/span> . Who shall mark the flock, but the owner of the flock? Joh 10:14<\/span> . And who shall finally count them over, and see that none is wanting, but He who first numbered them? and of whom it is said, that in all the cities of the mountains, and of the vale, the flocks shall again pass under the hand of him that telleth them. Jer 33:13<\/span> . Precious Jesus! bring my soul under thy divine markings, and the sprinkling of thy blood, that when the destroying angels go forth, to execute their awful commission, like the houses of Israel, in the midst of the Egypt of this world, I may be found secured in thee, the Lord my passover. Exo 12:29-30<\/span> ; 1Co 5:7<\/span> . I only detain the Reader with a short observation more, on this wonderful verse, just to remark, that the destroying angels, taking their stand beside the brazen altar, might perhaps be intended to intimate, that when the Lord’s judgments really begin, they begin at the house of God. And therefore, what the Holy Ghost by the Apostle hath said, may well impress our minds. For the time is come (saith he) that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them, that obey not the gospel of God. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Solemn scripture! 1Pe 4:17-18<\/span> .<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n Eze 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.<\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n Ver. 2. And, behold, six men came.<\/strong> ] Ad hunc Dei clamorem vel clangorem; <\/em> the angels came, the Chaldees came, at the call of this Lord of hosts, who hath all creatures at his beck and check. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n By the way of the higher gate.<\/strong> ] Called also the new gate, Jer 26:10 built by Jotham. 2Ch 27:3 <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Toward the north.<\/strong> ] Where stood the idol of jealousy, and whereby Nebuchadnezzar entered. <\/p>\n “ Per quod quis peccat, per idem punitur et ipse.<\/em> ”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One man among them.<\/strong> ] This was a created angel, say some; Eze 10:2 Christ, the angel of the covenant, say others, with more likelihood of truth. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Clothed with linen.<\/strong> ] As high priest of his people, and in addition an offering for them, and that without spot. Heb 9:14 <\/p>\n<\/p>\n And a writer’s inkhorn by his side.] An ensign of his prophetic office, say some, as his linen clothing was of his priestly; and of his kingly, that he was among, or in the midst of, the six slaughtermen, as their captain and commander. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n They went in and stood beside the brazen altar.<\/strong> ] Where they might receive further instructions from God. So in the Revelation, those angels that were to pour out the vials of divine vengeance, are said to come out of the temple.<\/p>\n behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6. <\/p>\n six men. Evidently supernatural. Angels are often called “men”. <\/p>\n men. Heb, plural of enosh. App-14. <\/p>\n man. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14. <\/p>\n weapon. A various reading called Sevir, with some codices, one early printed edition, and Syriac, reads weapons (plural) <\/p>\n a writer’s inkhorn. See Eze 9:41. Seen in use in the East to this day. <\/p>\n six: Jer 1:15, Jer 5:15-17, Jer 8:16, Jer 8:17, Jer 25:9 <\/p>\n the higher: 2Ki 15:35, 2Ch 27:3, Jer 26:10 <\/p>\n lieth: Heb. is turned <\/p>\n slaughter weapon: Heb. weapon of his breaking in pieces <\/p>\n and one: Eze 10:2, Eze 10:6, Eze 10:7, Lev 16:4, Rev 15:6 <\/p>\n inkhorn: Keseth (in Chaldee, kista Syriac, kesto Ethiopic, kasut) denotes a bottle, or vessel to hold any fluid; and being here united to sophair a writer, is not improperly rendered as an ink-horn, so one of the editions of Aquila, , and Vulgate, atramentarium. Dr. Shaw informs us, that among the Moors, “the Hojas i.e., writers or secretaries, suspend their ink-horns in their girdles.” <\/p>\n by his side: Heb. upon his loins <\/p>\n beside: Exo 27:1-7, Exo 40:29, 2Ch 4:1 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Dan 10:5 – clothed Dan 12:6 – man Amo 9:1 – upon<\/p>\n Eze 9:2. Upon the order mentioned in the preceding verse, six armed men came forward. All of this indicated that they would be used to execute the decrees of God. Another man was in the company of these six and he was clothed, with linen which indicated that he represented the priestly or ritualistic class of men. The brazen altar was used for the offering of bloody sacrifices, therefore it was appropriate that this group of seven men should take their position by the altar. The priests would make an account of the creatures to be considered with reference to the altar service, hence the inkhorn hanging at his side for convenient use.<\/p>\n 9:2 And, behold, six {b} men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the {c} north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them [was] clothed with linen, with a writer’s {d} inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.<\/p>\n (b) Which were angels in the appearance of men.<\/p>\n (c) Signifying that the Babylonians would come from the north to destroy the city and the temple.<\/p>\n (d) To mark them that would be saved.<\/p>\n Six men entered the inner courtyard from the north (upper; Eze 8:3; Eze 8:5; Eze 8:14) gate each with a lethal weapon in his hand (cf. Jer 51:20). A seventh man dressed in linen also approached with them, and he had a writing kit of the type that scribes used attached to his waist.<\/p>\n "This writing kit usually was made from an animal horn. It had a palette with a slot for pens and a hollow place for two kinds of ink, usually black and red. Professional scribes usually carried this kind of equipment." [Note: Cooper, pp. 126-27. Cf. Allen, p. 147.] <\/span><\/p>\n In other passages people who were divine messengers wore linen (cf. Dan 10:5; Dan 12:6-7; Rev 15:6), and this was the role of these men. Priests also wore linen (Exo 28:39-42; 1Sa 2:18; 1Sa 22:18), and they too were divine messengers. They entered the inner courtyard and stood by the brazen altar. Their number, seven, often signified a complete work of God to the Jews, as in the seven days of creation. These seven would carry out God’s work of judgment completely.<\/p>\n 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 brazen altar. 2. six men … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 9:2”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20635","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20635","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20635"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20635\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20635"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"