< Ezekiel 9 >

1 Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Cause those who are in charge of the city to draw near, each man with his destroying weapon in his hand.”
He cried also, in my hearing, with a loud voice, saying: Bring ye near the punishments of the city, every one his weapon of destruction in his hand.
2 Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand. One man in the middle of them was clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar.
And lo, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which looketh toward the north, every one with his slaughter-weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's ink-horn by his side; and they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.
3 The glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house; and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn by his side.
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 with linen, who had the writer's ink-horn by his side;
4 The LORD said to him, “Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”
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 that sigh and that wail for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof.
5 To the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him, and strike. Do not let your eye spare, neither have pity.
And to the others he said, in my hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite! let not your eyes spare, neither have ye pity!
6 Kill utterly the old man, the young man, the virgin, little children and women; but do not come near any man on whom is the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” Then they began at the old men who were before the house.
The old man, the youth, the virgin, little children and women, slay and destroy; but come not near any one upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then began they at the elders that were before the house.
7 He said to them, “Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” They went out, and struck in the city.
And he said to them, Pollute the house, and fill the courts with the slain, then go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.
8 While they were killing, and I was left, I fell on my face, and cried, and said, “Ah Lord GOD! Will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on Jerusalem?”
And while they were smiting them, I alone was left; and I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah, Lord Jehovah! wilt thou destroy all the remnant of Israel, while thou pourest out thy fury upon Jerusalem?
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 perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see.’
And 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 hath forsaken the land”; and, “Jehovah seeth not.”
10 As for me also, my eye will not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head.”
Therefore mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity. Their way will I recompense upon their head.
11 Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, “I have done as you have commanded me.”
And lo, the man clothed with linen, who had the ink-horn by his side, returned answer, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.

< Ezekiel 9 >