Ezekiel 9

1 And he cried out in my ears with a loud voice, saying: “The visitations of the city have drawn near, and each one has equipment for killing in his hand.”

Then he cried in my hearing with a loud voice, and said, “Let the guards come up to the city, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand.”

2 And behold, six men were approaching from the way of the upper gate, which looks to the north. And each one had equipment for killing in his hand. Also, one man in their midst was clothed with linen, and an instrument for writing was at his waist. And they entered and stood beside the bronze altar.

Then behold! Six men came from the pathway of the upper gate that faces north, each with his weapon of slaughter in his hand. There was a man in their midst dressed in linen with a scribe's equipment at his side. So they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

3 And the glory of the Lord of Israel was taken up, from the cherub upon which he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called out to the man who was clothed with linen and had an instrument for writing at his waist.

Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherubim where it had been to the threshold of the house. He called to the man dressed in linen who had the scribe's equipment at his side.

4 And the Lord said to him: “Cross through the middle of the city, in the center of Jerusalem, and seal a Tau upon the foreheads of the grieving men, who are mourning over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.”

Yahweh said to him, “Pass through the midst of the city—the midst of Jerusalem—and make a mark on the foreheads of those who groan and sigh about all the abominations being performed in the midst of the city.”

5 And he said to the others, in my hearing: “Cross through the city after him, and strike! Your eye shall not be lenient, and you shall not take pity.

Then he spoke to the others within my hearing, “Pass through the city after him and kill. Do not let your eyes have compassion, and do not spare

6 Kill, even to utter destruction, old men, young men, and virgins, little ones, and women. But all upon whom you see the Tau, you shall not kill. And begin from my sanctuary.” Therefore, they began with the men among the elders, who were before the face of the house.

either old man, young man, virgin, little children or women. Kill all of them! But do not approach anyone who has the mark on his head. Begin at my sanctuary!” So they began with the elders who were in front of the house.

7 And he said to them: “Defile the house, and fill its courts with the slain! Go forth!” And they went forth and struck down those who were in the city.

He said to them, “Defile the house, and fill its courtyards with the dead. Proceed!” So they went out and attacked the city.

8 And when the slaughter was completed, I remained. And I fell upon my face, and crying out, I said: “Alas, alas, alas, O Lord God! Will you now destroy the entire remnant of Israel, by pouring out your fury upon Jerusalem?”

As they were attacking it, I found myself alone and I fell on my face and cried out and said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh, will you destroy all the remnant of Israel in the outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?”

9 And he said to me: “The iniquity of the house of Israel, and of Judah, is vast and exceedingly great, and the land has been filled with blood, and the city has been filled with what is abhorrent. For they have said: ‘The Lord has forsaken the earth,’ and, ‘The Lord does not see.’

He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of blood and the city full of perversions, since they say, 'Yahweh has forgotten the land,' and 'Yahweh does not see!'

10 Therefore, my eye will not be lenient, and I will not take pity. I will repay their own way upon their head.”

So then, my eye will not look with compassion, and I will not spare them. I will instead bring it all on their heads.”

11 And behold, the man who was clothed with linen, who had a writing instrument at his back, responded a word, saying: “I have done just as you instructed me.”

Behold! The man dressed in linen who had the scribe's equipment by his side came back. He reported and said, “I have done all that you have commanded.”