Ézéchiel 9:2

Darby's French Translation

Et voici six hommes qui venaient du chemin de la porte supérieure qui est tournée vers le nord, et chacun avec son instrument de mort dans sa main; et il y avait au milieu d'eux un homme vêtu de lin, avec un encrier d'écrivain à ses reins; et ils entrèrent, et se tinrent à côté de l'autel d'airain.

Parallel Translations

La Bible David Martin (1744)
Et voici six hommes venaient de devers le chemin de la haute porte qui regarde vers l'Aquilon, et chacun avait en sa main son instrument de destruction; et il y avait au milieu d'eux un homme v�tu de lin, qui avait un cornet d'�crivain sur ses reins ; et ils entr�rent, et se tinrent aupr�s de l'autel d'airain.

La Bible Ostervald (1996)
Et voici venir six hommes par le chemin de la porte sup�rieure qui regarde le Nord, chacun son instrument de destruction � la main. Au milieu d'eux �tait un homme v�tu de lin, portant une �critoire � sa ceinture; et ils entr�rent, et se tinrent pr�s de l'autel d'airain.

Louis Segond (1910)
Et voici, six hommes arriv�rent par le chemin de la porte sup�rieure du c�t� du septentrion, chacun son instrument de destruction � la main. Il y avait au milieu d'eux un homme v�tu de lin, et portant une �critoire � la ceinture. Ils vinrent se placer pr�s de l'autel d'airain.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

six: Jeremiah 1:15, Jeremiah 5:15-17, Jeremiah 8:16, Jeremiah 8:17, Jeremiah 25:9

the higher: 2 Kings 15:35, 2 Chronicles 27:3, Jeremiah 26:10

lieth: Heb. is turned

slaughter weapon: Heb. weapon of his breaking in pieces

and one: Ezekiel 10:2, Ezekiel 10:6, Ezekiel 10:7, Leviticus 16:4, Revelation 15:6

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, לוכבםהןקויןם, 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."

by his side: Heb. upon his loins

beside: Exodus 27:1-7, Exodus 40:29, 2 Chronicles 4:1

Reciprocal: Daniel 10:5 - clothed Daniel 12:6 - man Amos 9:1 - upon

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And, behold, six men,.... 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, Jeremiah 39:3; these six executioners of God's vengeance are, in the Talmud n, called

"wrath, anger, fury, destruction, breach, and consumption:''

came from the way of the higher gate, 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 2 Kings 15:35;

which lieth toward the north: 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 Jeremiah 1:13;

and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; as ordered, Ezekiel 9:1, 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:

and one man among them; 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:

[was] clothed with linen; 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

with a writer's inkhorn by his side; 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 Malachi 3:16; 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:

and they went in; to the temple, all seven:

and stood beside the brasen altar; 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, Ezekiel 8:5.

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 במתניו "in lumbis suis", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. r Lexic. Polyglott. col. 3393. s Travels, p. 227. Ed. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Six men - 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 God’s covenant with His people.

The higher gate - 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 2 Kings 15:35.

Clothed with linen - The priestly garment Exodus 28:6, Exodus 28:8; Leviticus 16:4. This “One Man” (Compare Daniel 10:5; Revelation 1:13) 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 Ezekiel 10:2, but coming with mercy to the contrite as well as with vengeance to the impenitent; these are attributes of Jesus Christ John 5:30; Luke 2:34; Matthew 9:13; John 6:39.

A writer’s inkhorn - 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 Exodus 32:33; Psalms 69:28; Isaiah 4:3; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 9:2. Stood beside the brazen altar. — To signify that the people against whom they had their commission were, for their crimes, to be sacrificed to the demands of Divine justice.