Ezekiel 9:4

“And YHWH said to him, “Pass through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are done in its midst.””
Ezekiel 9:4 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

And YHWHיְהוָהsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto him,אֵלָיו“Passעֲבֹרthrough the midstבְּתוֹךְof the city,הָעִירthrough the midstבְּתוֹךְof Jerusalem,יְרוּשָׁלִָםand putוְהִתְוִיתָa markתָּוon the foreheadsעַל מִצְחוֹתof the menהָאֲנָשִׁיםwho sighהַנֶּאֱנָחִיםand groanוְהַנֶּאֱנָקִיםover allעַל כָּלthe abominationsהַתּוֹעֵבוֹתthat are doneהַנַּעֲשׂוֹתin its midst.”בְּתוֹכָהּ

Theme · Revelation 7:3

Go to Revelation 7:3

Revelation 7:3 orders the slaves of God to be sealed on the forehead; in Ezekiel 9:4 the forehead of those who groan over the abominations is marked.

The same term appears in both passages.

מִצְחוֹתmitsjotH4696μετώπωνmetōpōnG3359“forehead”

Ezekiel 9:4, word by word

And YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears

saidיֹּאמֶרyomer

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “yomer” appears

“Passעֲבֹרavor

pass

To get over a river, or go through a land.

Where else “avor” appears

through the midstתוֹךְtoch

midst

The central point of something, or the company of several: in the midst of them.

Where else “toch” appears

of the cityעִירir

city

A settled place protected by a wall, with a gate and houses.

Where else “ir” appears

of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָםyerushalaim

Jerusalem

See it on the map Where else “yerushalaim” appears

and putהִתְוִיתָhitvita

make marks

Make marks or scratches; scribble.

Where else “hitvita” appears

a markתָּוtav

mark, signature

A mark, a sign; hence, a signature.

Where else “tav” appears

on the foreheadsמִצְחוֹתmitschot

forehead

Forehead.

Where else “mitschot” appears

of the menאֲנָשִׁיםanashim

man

An adult male person; also each man of a people, a trade or a place.

Where else “anashim” appears

who sighנֶּאֱנָחִיםneenachim

groan

Groan, sigh with pain.

Where else “neenachim” appears

and groanנֶּאֱנָקִיםneenakim

groan

To groan, to moan with pain (of the wounded).

Where else “neenakim” appears

the abominationsתּוֹעֵבוֹתtoevot

abomination

Abomination: something that a people or God rejects with disgust, above all idolatry and the practices God forbids; also a custom another people will not tolerate.

Where else “toevot” appears

that are doneנַּעֲשׂוֹתnaasot

To carry out an act or to deal with someone in a certain way, for good or ill.

Where else “naasot” appears

Translation note

“A mark”: in Hebrew, the letter tav, which in the ancient script had the shape of a cross or an X.

Places in this verse

Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.

Jerusalem
Today: Old City of Jerusalem
A city in the hills of Judea, about 22 miles (35 km) west of the Dead Sea and 35 miles (55 km) east of the Mediterranean.
David took it and made it his city (2 Sam 5:7); Solomon built the temple there (1 Kgs 8:1). Jesus was presented there, and the apostles' witness began from it (Luke 2:22; Acts 1:8).
2 Samuel 5:6 1 Kings 8:1 Luke 2:22 Acts 1:8

The context

3And the glory of the Elohim of Israel had gone up from upon the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the house; and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the scribe's inkhorn at his waist.

4 · This verse (above)

5And to the others he said in my ears, “Pass through the city after him and strike; let your eye not spare, and do not show pity.

Read all of Ezekiel 9

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