The Meaning of Ezekiel 9:7 Explained

Ezekiel 9:7

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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go forth. And they went forth, and smote in the city.

ASV: And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and smote in the city.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ezekiel 9:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord directed these executioners to go out into the city. They were even to slay people in the temple courtyards, though by doing so they defiled the temple (made it ritually unclean; cf. Numbers 19:11; 1 Kings 13:2; 2 Kings 23:16). Justice was more important than ritual cleanliness. The six men proceeded to carry out their duty (cf. 2 Chronicles 36:17-19).

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 9:7 mean?

And 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
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם טַמְּא֣וּ אֶת־ הַבַּ֗יִת וּמַלְא֧וּ הַחֲצֵר֛וֹת חֲלָלִ֖ים צֵ֑אוּ וְיָצְא֖וּ וְהִכּ֥וּ בָעִֽיר

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  He  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
טַמְּא֣וּ  Defile 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: טָמֵא 
Sense: to be unclean, become unclean, become impure.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַבַּ֗יִת  the  temple 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וּמַלְא֧וּ  and  fill 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: מָלֵא 
Sense: to fill, be full.
הַחֲצֵר֛וֹת  the  courts 
Parse: Article, Noun, common plural
Root: חָצֵר 
Sense: court, enclosure.
חֲלָלִ֖ים  with  the  slain 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חָלָל 
Sense: slain, fatally wounded, pierced.
צֵ֑אוּ  Go  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
וְיָצְא֖וּ  And  they  went  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
וְהִכּ֥וּ  and  killed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
בָעִֽיר  in  the  city 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.