God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 9:7
7He said to them, “Dishonor the temple! Fill its courtyards with dead people, and then leave.” So they went out and killed the people in the city.
Ezekiel 9:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Then he said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go!” So they went out and began killing throughout the city.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then he said to them, "Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out." So they went out and struck in the city.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then He said to them, “Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” And they went out and killed in the city.
Context of Ezekiel 9:7
5Then he said to the others as I was listening, “Follow him throughout the city and kill. Don’t have any compassion, and don’t feel sorry. 6Kill old men, young men, old women, young women, and children. But don’t come near anyone who has a mark on him. Start with my holy place.” So they started with the old men in front of the temple. He said to them, “Dishonor the temple! Fill its courtyards with dead people, and then leave.” So they went out and killed the people in the city. 8As they were killing people, I was left alone. So I immediately bowed down. I cried, “Almighty Lord, will you destroy everyone who is left in Israel while you pour out your anger on Jerusalem?” 9He answered me, “The wickedness of the nations of Israel and Judah is terrible. The land is filled with murder, and the city is filled with wrongdoing. They think that the Lord has abandoned the land and that he doesn’t see.
Read all of Ezekiel 9Ezekiel 9:7 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם טַמְּא֣וּ אֶת־הַבַּ֗יִת וּמַלְא֧וּ אֶת־הַחֲצֵר֛וֹת חֲלָלִ֖ים צֵ֑אוּ וְיָצְא֖וּ וְהִכּ֥וּ בָעִֽיר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, Defileטָמֵאţâmê' · to defileH2930
- the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- and fillמָלֵאmâlê' mâlâ' · to fillH4390
- the courtsחָצֵרchâtsêr · courtH2691
- with the slainחָלָלchâlâl · slain: killedH2491
- go ye forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- and slewנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- in the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
Cross-references for Ezekiel 9:7
- Ezekiel 7:20They were proud of their beautiful jewels and used them to make disgusting and detestable statues ⌞of false gods⌟. That is why I will make their jewels disgusting.
- 2 Chronicles 36:17So he had the Babylonian king attack them and execute their best young men in their holy temple. He didn’t spare the best men or the unmarried women, the old people or the sick people. God handed all of them over to him.
- Psalms 79:1O God, the nations have invaded the land that belongs to you. They have dishonored your holy temple. They have left Jerusalem in ruins.
- Lamentations 2:4Like an enemy he bent his bow. Like an opponent his right hand held the arrow steady. He killed all the beautiful people. He poured out his fury like fire on the tent of Zion’s people.
- Luke 13:1At that time some people reported to Jesus about some Galileans whom Pilate had executed while they were sacrificing animals.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 9:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Defile the house - A dreadful sentence, Let it be polluted, I will no more dwell in it; I now utterly forsake it.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Defile the house - By filling the temple and its courts with the bodies of the slain. See Numbers 19:11.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-11Verses 5-11 The slaughter must begin at the sanctuary, that all may see and know that the Lord hates sin most in those nearest to him. He who was appointed to protect, reported the matter. Christ is faithful to the trust reposed in him. Is he commanded by his Father to secure eternal life to the chosen remnant? He says, Of all that thou hast given me, I have lost none. If others perish, and we are saved, we must ascribe the difference wholly to the mercy…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Defile the temple: In the past, Queen Athaliah was dragged out of the temple before she was executed. This was done so that her blood would not defile (make unclean) the holy place (2 Kings 11:15–16). Now the situation was different. These idolaters were to be killed inside the temple. Their idolatry had already defiled it so deeply that nothing sacred remained there. Without God’s holy presence, the building was no longer truly holy. Protecting its outer…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-111. cried--contrasted with their "cry" for mercy (Eze 8:18) is the "cry" here for vengeance, showing how vain was the former. them that have charge--literally, officers; so "officers" (Is 60:17), having the city in charge, not to guard, but to punish it. The angels who as "watchers" fulfil God's judgments (Da 4:13, 17, 23; 10:20, 21); the "princes" (Jr 39:3) of Nebuchadnezzar's army were under their guidance. draw near--in the Hebrew intensive, "to draw…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 9:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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