In Ezekiel’s vision, he saw six men from the north arrive in Jerusalem. They probably represented the Babylonian army, whom God had appointed as His instrument of judgement against His people because of their sin and idolatry.

EZEKIEL 9:2 – Six men came from. . . the north. . .and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn [writing kit, NIV] by his side.

The prophet also saw a seventh man with a writing kit hanging on his belt. This kit contained quills, or pens, as well as a container of ink. The ink of Bible times consisted of soot or lampblack remixed with water (Jere 36:18). This man’s task was to mark the righteous people of Jerusalem with his ink so they would be spared by God’s destroyers (Eze 9:4).