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.”

And He crieth in mine ears — a loud voice — saying, 'Drawn near have inspectors of the city, and each his destroying weapon 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 are coming from the way of the upper gate, that is facing the north, and each his slaughter-weapon in his hand, and one man in their midst is clothed with linen, and a scribe's inkhorn at his loins, and they come in, and stand near 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 honour of the God of Israel hath gone up from off the cherub, on which it hath been, unto the threshold of the house.

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 He calleth unto the man who is clothed with linen, who hath the scribe's inkhorn at his loins, and Jehovah saith unto him, 'Pass on into the midst of the city, into the midst of Jerusalem, and thou hast made a mark on the foreheads of the men who are sighing and who are groaning for all the abominations that are done in its midst.'

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 mine ears, 'Pass on into the city after him, and smite; your eye doth not pity, nor do ye spare;

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.

aged, young man, and virgin, and infant, and women, ye do slay — to destruction; and against any man on whom [is] the mark ye do not go nigh, and from My sanctuary ye begin.'

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 they begin among the aged men who [are] before the house, and He saith unto them, 'Defile the house, and fill the courts with the wounded, go forth.' And they have gone forth and have smitten 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 it cometh to pass, as they are smiting, and I — I am left — that I fall on my face, and cry, and say, 'Ah, Lord Jehovah, art Thou destroying all the remnant of Israel, in Thy pouring out Thy wrath on 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 saith unto me, 'The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah [is] very very great, and the land is full of blood, and the city hath been full of perverseness, for they have said: Jehovah hath forsaken the land, and Jehovah is not seeing.

10 As for me also, my eye will not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head.”

And I also, Mine eye doth not pity, nor do I spare; their way on their own head I have put.'

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, at whose loins [is] the inkhorn, is bringing back word, saying, 'I have done as Thou hast commanded me.'