Ezekiel 9

1 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.”

And he called before my ears with a loud voice, saying, Let those come near that have charge to punish the city, and every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

2 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.

And, behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which is turned toward the north, and every man with his weapon of destruction in his hand; and one man in the midst of them was clothed in linen, with a writer's materials by his side: and they went in, and placed themselves beside the copper altar.

3 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.

And the glory of the God of Israel ascended up from the cherub, whereupon it had been, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer's materials by his side.

4 “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.”

And the Lord said unto him, Pass through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and inscribe a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and who complain because of all the abominations which are done in the midst of it.

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

And to the others he said before my ears, Pass ye through the city after him, and smite: let your eye not look with pity, and do not spare;

6 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.

The aged, youth, and virgin, and little children, and women shall ye slay and destroy; but come not near any man upon whom the mark is; and at my sanctuary shall ye begin. Then they began with the ancient men who were before the house.

7 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.

And he said unto them, Make unclean the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go forth. And they went forth, and they smote in the city.

8 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?”

And it came to pass, while they were smiting them, and I alone was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried out, and said, Ah Lord Eternal! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel when thou pourest out thy fury over Jerusalem?

9 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.’

Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and of Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood-guiltiness, and the city full of injustice; for they have said, The Lord hath forsaken the land, and the Lord seeth not.

10 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.”

And as for me also, my eye shall not look with pity, and I will not spare; but I will bring their course upon their own head.

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

And, behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the writing materials by his side, brought back word, saying, I have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.