And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

EZEKIEL 9:8KJV
Know the Bible

Ezekiel 9:8 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 9:8 mean?

Ezekiel 9:8 shows the prophet Ezekiel reacting with deep distress as he witnesses a vision of judgment against Jerusalem, pleading with God not to destroy all the remaining people of Israel in His anger. Ezekiel falls on his face and cries out, asking if God will wipe out everyone left in Jerusalem as His fury is poured out.

In this verse, Ezekiel is speaking directly to God during a vision where he sees divine agents carrying out judgment on Jerusalem for its sins. Ezekiel’s reaction is both fear and compassion—he is horrified by the destruction and begs God to spare a remnant. The verse highlights Ezekiel’s role as an intercessor and shows his deep concern for his people even as he accepts God’s justice.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 9:8

  • "Residue" (שְׁאֵרִית, she'erit): This word means the remaining part or remnant. Ezekiel is worried that even the last survivors of Israel will be destroyed, emphasizing how complete the judgment appears.
  • "Fury" (חֵמָה, chemah): This word carries the sense of intense anger or wrath. The verse underscores the seriousness of God’s anger toward Jerusalem’s wrongdoing.
  • "Ah" (אֲהָהּ, ahah): This is an exclamation of distress or lament. Ezekiel’s cry is not just a question but a heartfelt, emotional plea, showing his anguish.

Why Ezekiel 9:8 matters

  • Ezekiel 9:8 clears up the idea that the prophet was emotionally detached; instead, Ezekiel is deeply moved and even questions whether God’s judgment will leave anyone alive.
  • The verse highlights the seriousness of the situation in Jerusalem, showing that the destruction is not just symbolic but is seen as potentially total, affecting even the "residue" or remnant.
  • Ezekiel’s plea connects to a larger biblical theme where prophets intercede for the people, showing both the weight of divine justice and the hope for mercy.

Where else these words appear

“Ah” Hebrew H162 · used in 15 verses

  • Joshua 7:7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
  • 2 Kings 6:5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
  • Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:

“residue” Hebrew H7611 · used in 66 verses

  • Genesis 45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
  • Jeremiah 15:9 She that hath borne seven languisheth: she hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day: she hath been ashamed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith the LORD.
  • Ezekiel 11:13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?

“cried” Hebrew H2199 · used in 73 verses

  • Exodus 2:23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
  • 1 Samuel 28:12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
  • Isaiah 26:17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.

“out” Hebrew H8210 · used in 111 verses

  • Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
  • Job 30:16 And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
  • Ezekiel 16:36 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;