Matthew Poole and continuators on Ezekiel 9

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.

The man whom he had seen upon the Throne, Christ who is Lord and Sovereign. Or, the Glory of God. or the God of Glory, or an Angel by order from God.

Either a H[illegible: 1 letter]braism, he cryed so, that I distinctly heard; or rather to intimate that Ezekiel only heard what was spoken; the Elders who were now with him hearing nothing of what was spoken.

Approach ye visitations, i. e. ye sore, wasting, unparallel'd Judgments; so the Concrete in the superlative degree is sometimes exprest in the abstract, as here 'tis, or these Judgments are already near at hand: It may point at the Chief Commanders in the Babyloni[illegible: 1 letter]h Army,

not those that were now Officers under Zedekiah and Commissioned by him, but those whom God hath appointed to destroy the City; Angels, say some; The Chald[illegible: 1 letter]an Commanders think others;

i. e. Every one; 'tis an H[illegible: 2 letters]r[illegible: 1 letter]w idiom.

Denoting both readiness unto, expedition in and strength for the work.

Each of these had a weapon proper for that kind of destruction which he was to effect; and so, some to slay with Sword, another with the Pestilence, another with Famine; each had his proper work herein, and 'tis called his destru[illegible: 1 letter]tion:

Marginal references: Heb. Let the visitations of the City approach.; Heb. i[illegible: 1 letter]tr[illegible: 1 letter] m[illegible: 1 letter]nts of his destr[illegible: 1 letter]ction.

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 linnen, with a writers inkhorn by his side: and they went in and stood beside the brazenaltar.

So soon as Command was given out, these Ministers of God's just displeasure appear ready to execute.

That was the precise number, neither more nor fewer.

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 enquiry, they come without delay;

either because being more inward, 'tis 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 Iotham. 2 Chron. 27.3.

Insinuating whence their destruction should come, from Babylon came that Whirlwind, chap. 1. v. 4. which was to overthrow Ierusalem. And this North-Gate was the weakest both by their sins there committed, and by its Scituation, which invited Antioc[illegible: 1 letter]us and Titus to pitch their Tents on that side when they besieged it, and on this side the Chaldaeans did first enter.

See ver. 1.

Not Companion, but as one of great Authority over them, who are as Officers waiting on him on every side.

A Garment proper to the Priesthood, whether Ordinary Priest, or High Priest. Exod. 28.42, 43. Lev. 6.10. in this habit appeared the Angel. Dan. 10.5. and 12.6, 7. and a very fit resemblance of Christ, who is the only Saviour of his Elect, whose Names he knows as if written by him.

All the seven, both the six Executioners, and the signal Man clothed in Linnen, went into the Inner Court where they stand waiting, till the word be given for Execution:

Either shewing that they were ready to offer up many Sacrifices to the just revenge of God; or to shew their value, zeal, and constancy to God's appointment, for they are not where Ahaz Altar was in the middle of the Court, but near the Brazen Altar of God's own direction.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] turned.; Heb. a [illegible: 1 word] of his [illegible: 1 word] in [illegible: 1 word].; Heb. [illegible: 1 word] loynes.

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 linnen, which had the writers inkhorn by his side.

Either a Glorious brightness, such as sometimes appeared above the Cherubins in the most Holy place, or the Glorious God of Israel, who is the Lord that speaks, ver. 4. or that Glory which the Prophet saw, chap. 1. ver. 28. and chap. 3.23. and chap. 8. ver. 4. which see, and which brought him into the Temple;

withdrawn in part, departing from the place he had so long dwelt in:

Or Cherubins, for 'tis here Singular instead of Plural.

Either wont to sit and appear, or else on which he was when he appeared unto Ezekiel, as chap. 8. ver. 4.

Of the Holy of Holies, or of the Temple, towards the Brazen Altar; in token either of his sudden departure from the Jews because of their sins; or that he might come nearer to those seven, to give them Orders about wasting the City;

with a plain and loud voice, declaring his purpose to proceed to judge and execute his Righteous Judgment; but yet first providing for the safety of the good.

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.

Spake from the midst of that Glory. v. 3.

man clothed in linnen, i. e. to Christ.

Pass through as men use to go, who keep an even steddy pace.

The chief Street of the City:

'Tis too curious, and as useless to enquire what mark this was, it is groundless to confine it to the sign of the Cross, whatever some discourse of the antique form of the Letter Thau. It is sufficient, that after themanner of man's speaking, the Lord assures us his Remnant are safe, as what is under a Seal, which none can or dare break open,

As the Faithful Servants of God, in allusion perhaps to the custom in the East, that Servants wore their Masters name in their foreheads, or to let us know that now this deliverance wo[illegible: 1 letter]'d be not as in Egypt by whole Families, but by single and selected persons.

out of inward grief for other men's sins and sorrows.

Express their grief by vocal lamentations, who dare openly bewail the Abominations of this wicked City, and so bear their testimony against it.

Not as if these mourners knew every particular abomination, but they mourned for all the kinds of wickedness which they knew of.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] mark.; Exod. 12.[illegible: 1 letter]. Revel. 7.3.

5 ¶ And to the others he said in my hearing, go ye after him through the City, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity.

the six slaughter men.

God of Glory, or Christ who appeard in great Glory.

a note of certainty of the thing.

Linger not e're you set forward against the wicked, yet still fo after, that you destroy none that are to be sealed; so also Rev. 7.3.

This Order must be observed through the whole City, and through the whole Execution.

Strike each with his Weapon of Perdition, so let every one fall by the Sword, or Famine, &c.

Do all with severity, act the Chaldeans part indeed, and without remorse execute my just displeasure by your cruelty.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word]

6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon which is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary: then they began with the ancient men which were before the house.

My purpose is to exterminate and make desolate, therefore slay all that are design'd to destruction;

whose venerable age if innocent, might have awed you, whose wisdom might preserve some and themselves,

who shou'd be a seed-plot, or nursery for posterity, cut them off too,

regard no State or Sex, neither the loveliness of the Virgin, nor the prettiness of the Infant, nor the comeliness, and gravity of the Matron, spare none;

yet in your fervours of revenge look you come not near to any sealed forehead; you may see them, though they blush for their own sins, and for the sins of others, yet they look up to me and wait for me in the way of my Judgments, they will lift up their heads, and look you in the faces;

both the execution, and the distinction at the Sanctuary, there are the great Sinners, and the abominable sins which have brought this on them, and that all Israel may know, nothing but Repentance can secure them.

The Seventy, or Sanhedrin, ch. 8.10, 11.

Who were Governours in the Temple, and House of God by Office, but Idolaters by Practice and Principles.

Marginal references: to destruction.

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.

Regard not the Holiness of the Temple: Idolaters whom you are to slay, have defiled it with the Blood of Idols, Sacrifices, do you defile it with the Blood of the Idolatrous Sacrificers: Slay them where you find them, for there they sinn'd against me.

Make a great Slaughter, let every place be stained with their blood.

There were the Priests, the Levites, and the womens Courts, and there will be found persons of a different character, but unless my mark be upon them, forbear none of them.

Make haste, do not ye, for I do not delay, nor will I.

Here as before they shew their ready Obedience.

This slaughter was visional in the eye of the Prophet, and a Preface to the saddest Butcheries Israel ever bled and groaned under.

8 ¶ And it came to pass while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell on my face, and cryed, and said, Ah, Lord GOD, wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel, in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

This is a most usual transition, and Scripture phrase.

There was some space of time taken up in the execution.

The six slaughter men;

not bodily and actually, but visionally, and in prophetick representation.

Those about the Sanctuary, and in the City;

Either survived the slaughter, or left alone now both the Sealer, and the Slayers were gone, or left alone sealed of all the Priests, the rest being exposed to destruction.

In most humble and earnest manner addressing to God as one that wou'd intreat mercy for a ruined State;

importunately pray'd, and the prayer follows;

An expression of the greatest compounded affection of Pitty, Desire, and Zeal for the afflicted; and what follows, is a complex of arguments for pity and sparing mercy; fr[illegible: 1 letter]m God himself, from his peculiar hand in this, from his people, the remnant of them, and from the sad and mournful state Ierusalem was already in: Must all Israel drink thus of the Cup of thine Indignation?

So called, because many were already in Captivity with Ieconiah, and had been so about six or seven years, or else in respect to the Electing Love of God, who ever reserved a Remnant to himself.

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.

God gives him a speedy answer,

of those who either joyned themselves to the house of David, when the ten Tribes fell off, or those that escaped when Shalmanezer carried them Captive.

The two Tribes, though only one is exprest, the other is included

All Judgment is perverted; in Judges, to injustice, in Priests, to Idolatry; In all, to Scepticisme, or Atheisme;

They argue and dispute against my concerning my self in the Government of the World, and the Church.

Cast off the care of his people, and so they spoil him of his Dominion;

deny▪ his Omniscience, and make him as Idols for Ignorance, just as Psal. 10.11. and 94.7.

Grown beyond all measure that my Justice cannot, and my mercy must not longer forbear;

Very much innocent Blood is spilt, or there are many bloodshedders among them.

Marginal references: Heb. Exceeding exceeding.; Heb. filled with bloods.; Or, wresting of Iudgement.; Chap. 8.12.

10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity but I will recompence their way upon their head.

My resolution is fixed:

That Eye, they thought did not see to govern, shall see to punish.

They shall find me a Sovereign to vindicate my self, and do justice against their injustice. See chap. 5. ver. 11. and chap. 7. ver. 4.

Marginal references: Chap. 5.11. & 7.4. & 3.13.

11 And behold, the man cloathed with linnen, which had the Inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.

While God gave the Prophet the account of the peoples sins, and of his own resolutions,

Christ

innocent one, and our Priest,

as 'twere came in, or returned from doing that work most delightful to him.

The Hebrew Text is according, or as but the reading is with (All) added, according to all that which thou O my Father hast commanded me; as Iob. 14.31.

Marginal references: Heb. loines.; Heb. ret[illegible: 3 letters] ed the word.