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.”

Then cried he in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Draw near ye that have charge of the city, -even every man with 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 coming in out of the way of the upper gate which looketh toward the north even every man with his destructive weapon in his hand, and one man in their midst clothed with linen, having a scribe’s ink holder by his side, —so they came in and stood beside the altar of bronze.

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 lifted itself up from off the cherub whereon it had been, unto the threshold of the house, —and he called unto the man clothed with linen, who had the scribe’s ink holder 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.”

Then said Yahweh unto him. Pass along through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, —and set thou a mark upon the foreheads of the men who are sighing and crying over all the abominations that are being done in her midst.

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!

But unto these, said he in mine ears, Pass along through the city after him and smite, —let not your eye, shield, 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.

elder, young man and virgin and little ones and women, shall ye slay utterly, but unto any man who hath upon him the mark, do not ye come near, and at my sanctuary, shall ye begin. So they began with the elder 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 Defile ye the house and fill the courts with the slain, —go ye forth! So they went forth and 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—I being left remaining, that I fell upon my face and made outcry, and said Alas! My Lord. Yahweh art thou about to destroy all the remnant of Israel, in that thou art pouring out of thine indignation 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 unto me the iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah, is exceeding, great, and the land is filled with shed blood, and the city is full of over-reaching, —for they have said. Yahweh hath forsaken the land, — and Yahweh doth not see.

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 as for even me, Mine eye shall not shield. Neither will I pity, — Their way upon their own head, have I rendered.

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 in linen, having the ink-holder by his side, bringing back word saying, — I have done according to all which thou didst command me.