Ezekiel 9

1 Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause ye those who have charge over the city to draw near, each man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

Then I heard Him call out in a loud voice, saying, “Draw near, O executioners of the city, each with a weapon of destruction in hand.”

2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, each man with his slaughter weapon in his hand, and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, with a writer's case by his side. And they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.

And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with a weapon of slaughter in his hand. With them was another man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

3 And the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub, upon which it was, to the threshold of the house, and he called to the man clothed in linen who had the writer's case by his side.

Then the glory of the God of Israel rose from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side.

4 And Jehovah said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and who cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst of it.

“Go throughout the city of Jerusalem,” said the LORD, “and put a mark on the foreheads of the men sighing and groaning over all the abominations committed there.”

5 And to the others he said in my hearing, Go ye through the city after him, and smite. Let not your eye spare, nor have ye pity.

And as I listened, He said to the others, “Follow him through the city and start killing; do not show pity or spare anyone!

6 Kill utterly the old man, the young man, and the virgin, and little sons, and women, but come not near any man upon whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the old men who were before the house.

Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children; but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple.

7 And he said to them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go ye forth. And they went forth, and smote in the city.

Then He told them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go forth!” So they went out and began killing throughout the city.

8 And it came to pass, while they were smiting, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah lord Jehovah! Will thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy wrath upon Jerusalem?

While they were killing, I was left alone. And I fell facedown and cried out, “Oh, Lord GOD, when You pour out Your wrath on Jerusalem, will You destroy the entire remnant of Israel?”

9 Then he said to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness. For they say, Jehovah has forsaken the land, and Jehovah does not see.

He replied, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of bloodshed, and the city is full of perversity. For they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.’

10 And as for me also, my eye shall not spare, nor will I have pity, but I will bring their way upon their head.

But as for Me, I will not look on them with pity, nor will I spare them. I will bring their deeds down upon their own heads.”

11 And, behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the writing case by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou have commanded me.

Then the man clothed in linen with the writing kit at his side reported back, “I have done as You commanded.”