5 And to the others he said in mine ears, 'Pass on into the city after him, and smite; your eye doth not pity, nor do ye spare; 6 aged, young man, and virgin, and infant, and women, ye do slay—to destruction; and against any man on whom 'is' the mark ye do not go nigh, and from My sanctuary ye begin.' 7 And they begin among the aged men who 'are' before the house, and He saith unto them, 'Defile the house, and fill the courts with the wounded, go forth.' And they have gone forth and have smitten in the city. 8 And it cometh to pass, as they are smiting, and I—I am left—that I fall on my face, and cry, and say, 'Ah, Lord Jehovah, art Thou destroying all the remnant of Israel, in Thy pouring out Thy wrath on Jerusalem?' 9 And He saith unto me, 'The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah 'is' very very great, and the land is full of blood, and the city hath been full of perverseness, for they have said: Jehovah hath forsaken the land, and Jehovah is not seeing. 10 And I also, Mine eye doth not pity, nor do I spare; their way on their own head I have put.' 11 And lo, the man clothed with linen, at whose loins 'is' the inkhorn, is bringing back word, saying, 'I have done as Thou hast commanded me.'

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 9:5-11

Commentary on Ezekiel 9:5-11

(Read Ezekiel 9:5-11)

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 of our God, for we too have deserved wrath. Let us still continue to plead in behalf of others. But where the Lord shows no mercy he does no injustice; he only recompenses men's ways.