Ezekiel 9:2
New International Version
And I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

New Living Translation
Six men soon appeared from the upper gate that faces north, each carrying a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man dressed in linen, who carried a writer’s case at his side. They all went into the Temple courtyard and stood beside the bronze altar.

English Standard Version
And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand, and with them was a man clothed in linen, with a writing case at his waist. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Berean Standard Bible
And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with a weapon of slaughter in his hand. With them was another man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

New American Standard Bible
And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his smashing weapon in his hand; and among them was one man clothed in linen with a scribe’s kit at his waist. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

NASB 1995
Behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was a certain man clothed in linen with a writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

NASB 1977
And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was a certain man clothed in linen with a writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Legacy Standard Bible
And behold, six men were coming from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was a certain man clothed in linen with a scribe’s case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Amplified Bible
Behold, six men [angelic beings] came from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with his battle-axe in his hand; and among them was a certain man clothed in linen, with a scribe’s writing case at his side. They entered and stood beside the bronze altar.

Christian Standard Bible
And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with a war club in his hand. There was another man among them, clothed in linen, carrying writing equipment. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with a war club in his hand. There was another man among them, clothed in linen, with writing equipment at his side. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
I saw six men come through the north gate of the temple, each one holding a deadly weapon. A seventh man dressed in a linen robe was with them, and he was carrying things to write with. The men went into the temple and stood by the bronze altar.

English Revised Version
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 brasen altar.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So six men came from the upper north gate. Each one brought a deadly weapon with him. Among them was a person dressed in linen who was carrying paper and pen. The men came in and stood by the bronze altar.

Good News Translation
At once six men came from the outer north gate of the Temple, each one carrying a weapon. With them was a man dressed in linen clothes, carrying something to write with. They all came and stood by the bronze altar.

International Standard Version
All of a sudden, I noticed six men approaching from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north. Each of them held a destructive weapon in his hand. Among them there was one man, clothed in linen, who was equipped with a writing set at his side. They went in and presented themselves beside the bronze altar.

Majority Standard Bible
And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with a weapon of slaughter in his hand. With them was another man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

NET Bible
Next, I noticed six men coming from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his war club in his hand. Among them was a man dressed in linen with a writing kit at his side. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.

New Heart English Bible
Look, 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
And behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth towards 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.

World English Bible
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. One man in the middle of them was clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And behold, six men are coming from the way of the upper gate, that is facing the north, and each [with] his slaughter-weapon in his hand, and one man in their midst is clothed with linen, and a scribe’s inkhorn at his loins, and they come in, and stand near the bronze altar.

Young's Literal Translation
And lo, six men are coming from the way of the upper gate, that is facing the north, and each his slaughter-weapon in his hand, and one man in their midst is clothed with linen, and a scribe's inkhorn at his loins, and they come in, and stand near the brazen altar.

Smith's Literal Translation
And behold, six men coming from the way of the highest gate which looking to the north, and each a weapon of smiting in pieces in his hand; and one man in the midst of them clothed with linen, an inkhorn of the scribe upon his loins: and they will come and stand by the altar of brass.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And behold six men came from the way of the upper gate, which looketh to the north: and each one had his weapon of destruction in his hand: and there was one man in the midst of them clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn at his reins: and they went in, and stood by the brazen altar.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And behold, six men were approaching from the way of the upper gate, which looks to the north. And each one had equipment for killing in his hand. Also, one man in their midst was clothed with linen, and an instrument for writing was at his waist. And they entered and stood beside the bronze altar.

New American Bible
And there were six men coming from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with a weapon of destruction in his hand. In their midst was a man dressed in linen, with a scribe’s case at his waist. They entered and stood beside the bronze altar.

New Revised Standard Version
And six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand; among them was a man clothed in linen, with a writing case at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which looks toward the north, and every man had his destroying weapons in his hand; and there was a man among them clothed with linen, and his loins were girded with girdles of sapphire; and they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I saw six men coming from the way of the gate upper that looks to the north, and each man with weapons of his vengeance in his hand, and one man among them was wearing fine linen and was bound with sapphire around his loins, and they came and they stood on the side of the altar of brass
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And, behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lieth toward the north, every man with his weapon of destruction in his hand; and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, with a writer's inkhorn on his side. And they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And, behold, six men came from the way of the high gate that looks toward the north, and each one's axe was in his hand; and there was one man in the midst of them clothed with a long robe down to the feet, and a sapphire girdle was on his loins: and they came in and stood near the brazen altar.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Slaughter of the Idolaters
1Then I heard Him call out in a loud voice, saying, “Draw near, O executioners of the city, each with a weapon of destruction in hand.” 2And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with a weapon of slaughter in his hand. With them was another man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar. 3Then the glory of the God of Israel rose from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side.…

Cross References
Revelation 7:2-3
And I saw another angel ascending from the east, with the seal of the living God. And he called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: / “Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have placed a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”

Revelation 9:4
They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Revelation 14:9-11
And a third angel followed them, calling out in a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand, / he too will drink the wine of God’s anger, poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented in fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. / And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. Day and night there is no rest for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”

Revelation 16:2
So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and loathsome, malignant sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

Revelation 19:11-16
Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. / He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. / He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. ...

Revelation 20:4
Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Matthew 13:41-42
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. / And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 24:31
And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Luke 21:22-24
For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. / How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people. / They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9
and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels / in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. / They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,

Hebrews 12:22-24
Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels / in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, / to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

1 Peter 4:17
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?

Isaiah 6:6-7
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. / And with it he touched my mouth and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your iniquity is removed and your sin is atoned for.”

Isaiah 13:3
I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have even summoned My warriors to execute My wrath and exult in My triumph.

Isaiah 66:6
Hear the uproar from the city; listen to the voice from the temple! It is the voice of the LORD, repaying His enemies what they deserve!


Treasury of Scripture

And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lies 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.

six

Jeremiah 1:15
For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.

Jeremiah 5:15-17
Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say…

Jeremiah 8:16,17
The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein…

the higher

2 Kings 15:35
Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 27:3
He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.

Jeremiah 26:10
When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the LORD'S house.

lieth [heb] is turned

Ezekiel 10:2,6,7
And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight…

Leviticus 16:4
He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.

Revelation 15:6
And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.

ink-horn.

by his side [heb] upon his loins

Exodus 27:1-7
And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits…

Exodus 40:29
And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses.

2 Chronicles 4:1
Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.

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Ezekiel 9
1. A vision, whereby is shown the preservation of some
5. and the destruction of the rest
8. God cannot be entreated for them














And I saw
The phrase "And I saw" indicates a direct vision given to Ezekiel, emphasizing the prophetic nature of the message. In Hebrew, the verb "saw" (רָאָה, ra'ah) often implies not just physical sight but spiritual insight or revelation. This vision is a divine communication, underscoring the seriousness and authority of the message Ezekiel is about to convey.

six men
The "six men" are symbolic figures, often interpreted as angelic beings or agents of God's judgment. The number six, just short of seven, which signifies completeness, may suggest an incomplete or ongoing process of judgment. These figures represent the execution of divine justice, a theme consistent throughout the prophetic literature.

coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north
The "upper gate, which faces north" is significant in the context of Jerusalem's geography and its spiritual symbolism. The north was often associated with danger and invasion, as historically, enemies like the Babylonians would approach from the north. This direction signifies impending judgment and the seriousness of the situation.

each with a weapon of slaughter in his hand
The "weapon of slaughter" symbolizes the impending judgment and destruction. In Hebrew, the word for "weapon" (כְּלִי, keli) can also mean tool or instrument, indicating that these are instruments of divine justice. The imagery is stark and serves as a warning of the severity of God's judgment against sin.

With them was a man clothed in linen
The "man clothed in linen" is often interpreted as a figure of purity and holiness, possibly an angel or a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. Linen garments were worn by priests, signifying purity and service to God. This figure stands apart from the others, indicating a different role, likely one of mercy or intercession.

who had a writing kit at his side
The "writing kit" suggests a role of recording or marking, possibly for preservation or distinction. In ancient times, scribes used writing kits to record important information. This figure's task is to mark those who lament over the abominations in Jerusalem, distinguishing them from those destined for judgment.

They came in and stood beside the bronze altar
The "bronze altar" is a central element in the temple, associated with sacrifice and atonement. Standing beside the altar signifies the intersection of judgment and mercy. The altar, a place of sacrifice, reminds the reader of the need for atonement and the seriousness of sin, while also pointing to the hope of redemption through sacrifice.

(2) One man among them was clothed with linen.--He was among 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); yet also used by others, and on other occasions, simply as a garment of purity and of distinction (comp. Daniel 10:5), 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., 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. Revelation 7:3). 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 Chaldaean 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.

Verse 2. - Behold, six men, etc. The man clothed with linen brings the number up to the sacred number seven, as in Zechariah 4:10; Revelation 1:16, 20; Revelation 15:6. He is over them rather than among them, and answers to the scribe who appears so frequently in Assyrian sculptures, as the secretary who counts the prisoners that have been taken in battle. They come from the north, the region from which the vision of Ezekiel 1:4 had come, in which, in the nearer vision of Ezekiel 8:4, the prophet had seen the same glorious presence. They appear, i.e., as issuing from the Divine presence to do their work of judgment. Possibly. as in Jeremiah 1, there may be an allusive reference to the fact that the Chaldeans, as the actual instruments of their judgment, came from the same region. The gate in question was built by Jotham (2 Kings 15:35). The captain of the band is arrayed in the "white linen" of the hosts of heaven and of the priests on earth (ποδήρης in the LXX.; comp. Leviticus 6:10; Leviticus 16:4; Ezekiel 44:17; Daniel 10:5; Daniel 12:6). A writer's inkhorn. Through all the changes of Eastern life this has been the outward sign of the scribe's office. Here it is obviously connected with the oft-recurring thought of the books of life and death in the chancery of heaven (Exodus 32:32; Psalm 69:28; Psalm 139:16; Isaiah 4:3; Daniel 12:1; Philippians 4:3). It was to be the work of this scribe (ver. 4) to mark such as were for death to death, such as were for life to life. The LXX., misunderstanding the Hebrew, or following a different text, gives, not "a writer's inkhorn," but "a girdle of sapphire." With all the precision of one who knew every inch of the temple courts, the priest-prophet sees the visitants take their station beside the brazen altar, probably, as they came from the north, on the north side of it.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And I saw
וְהִנֵּ֣ה (wə·hin·nêh)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

six
שִׁשָּׁ֣ה (šiš·šāh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 8337: Six (a cardinal number)

men
אֲנָשִׁ֡ים (’ă·nā·šîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

coming
בָּאִ֣ים ׀ (bā·’îm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

from the direction
מִדֶּרֶךְ־ (mid·de·reḵ-)
Preposition-m | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

of the Upper
הָעֶלְי֜וֹן (hā·‘el·yō·wn)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 5945: An elevation, lofty, as title, the Supreme

Gate,
שַׁ֨עַר (ša·‘ar)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

which
אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

faces
מָפְנֶ֣ה (mā·p̄ə·neh)
Verb - Hofal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6437: To turn, to face, appear, look

north,
צָפ֗וֹנָה (ṣā·p̄ō·w·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6828: Hidden, dark, the north as a, quarter

each
וְאִ֨ישׁ (wə·’îš)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

with a weapon
כְּלִ֤י (kə·lî)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3627: Something prepared, any apparatus

of slaughter
מַפָּצוֹ֙ (map·pā·ṣōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4660: A smiting to pieces

in his hand.
בְּיָד֔וֹ (bə·yā·ḏōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

With them
בְּתוֹכָם֙ (bə·ṯō·w·ḵām)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

was another
אֶחָ֤ד (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

man
וְאִישׁ־ (wə·’îš-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

clothed
לָבֻ֣שׁ (lā·ḇuš)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 3847: Wrap around, to put on a, garment, clothe

in linen
בַּדִּ֔ים (bad·dîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 906: Flaxen thread, yarn, a linen garment

who had a writing kit
וְקֶ֥סֶת (wə·qe·seṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7083: A pot (for ink), inkhorn

at his side.
בְּמָתְנָ֑יו (bə·mā·ṯə·nāw)
Preposition-b | Noun - mdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4975: The waist, small of the back, the loins

And they came in
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ (way·yā·ḇō·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

and stood
וַיַּ֣עַמְד֔וּ (way·ya·‘am·ḏū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

beside
אֵ֖צֶל (’ê·ṣel)
Preposition
Strong's 681: A joining together, proximity

the bronze
הַנְּחֹֽשֶׁת׃ (han·nə·ḥō·šeṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5178: Copper, something made of that metal, coin, a fetter, base

altar.
מִזְבַּ֥ח (miz·baḥ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4196: An altar


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 9:2 Behold six men came from the way (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 9:1
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