The Meaning of Ezekiel 9:1 Explained

Ezekiel 9:1

KJV: 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.

YLT: And He crieth in mine ears -- a loud voice -- saying, 'Drawn near have inspectors of the city, and each his destroying weapon in his hand.'

Darby: And he cried in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Draw near, ye that have charge of the city, and every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

ASV: Then he cried in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause ye them that have charge over the city to draw near, every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ezekiel 9:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

In his vision Ezekiel heard the Lord (cf. Ezekiel 9:4) cry out loudly for the executioners (guards), who would punish the people of Jerusalem, to draw near to Him with their weapons in hand. The Lord had predicted that the people would cry out to Him for mercy with a loud voice ( Ezekiel 8:18), but first He cried out against them in judgment with a loud voice. Though these executioners looked like men, they appear to have been angels in view of what they proceeded to do. Evidently Ezekiel"s position at this time was in the inner temple courtyard, and the Lord spoke from inside the temple structure (cf. Ezekiel 9:3).

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 9:1 mean?

And He called out in my hearing with a voice loud saying let draw near those who have charge over the city and each [with] a weapon deadly in his hand
וַיִּקְרָ֣א בְאָזְנַ֗י ק֤וֹל גָּדוֹל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר קָרְב֖וּ פְּקֻדּ֣וֹת הָעִ֑יר וְאִ֛ישׁ כְּלִ֥י מַשְׁחֵת֖וֹ בְּיָדֽוֹ

וַיִּקְרָ֣א  And  He  called  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
בְאָזְנַ֗י  in  my  hearing 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, first person common singular
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
ק֤וֹל  with  a  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
גָּדוֹל֙  loud 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
קָרְב֖וּ  let  draw  near 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
פְּקֻדּ֣וֹת  those  who  have  charge  over 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: פְּקֻדָּה  
Sense: oversight, care, custody, mustering, visitation, store.
הָעִ֑יר  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
וְאִ֛ישׁ  and  each 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
כְּלִ֥י  [with]  a  weapon 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
מַשְׁחֵת֖וֹ  deadly 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַשְׁחֵת  
Sense: ruin, destruction.
בְּיָדֽוֹ  in  his  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.