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.”
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 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 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 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 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 “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 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 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, in my hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite! let not your eyes spare, neither have ye pity!
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 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 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 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, 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 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 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.’
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 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.”
Therefore mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity. Their way will I recompense upon their head.
11 Then the man clothed in linen with the writing kit at his side reported back, “I have done as You commanded.”
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.
