The big picture
Ezekiel 9 opens in verse 1 with “He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 6 with “Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not…”, and closes in verse 11 with “And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the…” Repeated or prominent terms include city, house, LORD, clothed, inkhorn. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Ezekiel · King James Version · 11Ezekiel 9:1-6
1–6: He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that…
Ezekiel 9:1–6 opens with “He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city…” and reaches “Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ezekiel 9 develops its own movement around city, house, LORD, clothed, inkhorn, with particular weight carried by city, midst, clothed.
Context that brings the passage to life
“He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter…” The number six makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Ezekiel 9:1-6
King James Version1He 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.
2And, 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.
3And 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;
4And 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.
5And 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:
6Slay 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.
Ezekiel 9:7-11
7–11: He said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain…
Ezekiel 9:7–11 opens with “And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And…” and reaches “And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ezekiel 9 develops its own movement around city, house, LORD, clothed, inkhorn, with particular weight carried by LORD, city, full.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Ezekiel 9:7-11
King James Version7And 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.
8And 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?
9Then 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.
10And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.
11And, 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Ezekiel 9:1 begins with “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…”
Where the chapter turns
Ezekiel 9:8 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
Ezekiel 9:11 leaves the reader with “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.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words city, house, LORD, clothed, inkhorn, Israel help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Who is included in the covenant?
Noah, his descendants and every living creature. Trace the repeated wording in verses 8-17.
Why does verse 6 matter after the flood?
It grounds the protection of every human life in the continuing divine image.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.