< Jezekiel 9 >
1 And he cried in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, The judgement of the city has drawn near; and each had the weapons of destruction 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 And, behold, six men came from the way of the high gate that looks towards the north, and each one's axe was in his hand; and there was one man in the midst of them clothed with a long robe down to the feet, and a sapphire girdle was on his loins: and they came in and stood near the brazen 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 And the glory of the God of Israel, that was upon them, went up from the cherubs to the porch of the house. And he called the man that was clothed with the long robe, who had the girdle on his loins;
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 And said to him, Go through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that groan and that grieve for all the iniquities that are done in the midst of them.
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 And he said to the first in my hearing, Go after him into the city, and strike: and let not your eyes spare, and have no mercy.
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 Slay utterly old man and youth, and virgin, and infants, and women: but go you not near any on whom is the mark: begin at my sanctuary. So they began with the elder men who were within in 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 And he said to them, Defile the house, and go out and fill the ways with dead bodies, and strike.
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 And it came to pass as they were striking, that I fell upon my face, and cried out, and said, Alas, O Lord! will you destroy the remnant of Israel, in pouring out your wrath upon 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 said he to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Juda is become very exceedingly great: for the land is filled with many nations, and the city is filled with iniquity and uncleanness: because they have said, The Lord has forsaken the earth, The Lord looks not upon [it].
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 Therefore mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have any mercy: I have recompensed their ways upon their heads.
And I also, Mine eye doth not pity, nor do I spare; their way on their own head I have put.'
11 And, behold, the man clothed with the long robe, and girded with the girdle about his loins, answered and said, I have done as you did command 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.'