Ezekiel 9

1 Then I heard him shout out with a loud voice, “Start the attack, you who are in charge of punishing Jerusalem! Pick up your weapons!”

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 I watched as six men approached from the upper gate that faces north. All of them were carrying battle axes. There was another man with them. He was dressed in linen and had a scribe's writing kit at his side. They entered and stood next to 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 The glory of the God of Israel rose from its usual place on the cherubim and went over to the Temple entrance. The Lord called out to the man dressed in linen with the writing kit,

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 through the whole the city of Jerusalem and place a mark on the foreheads of those who sighing and mourning at all the disgusting sins that are done 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 Then I heard him tell the others, “Follow him all through the city and start killing people. Don't be kind or merciful to 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 Kill the old men, the young men and girls, the women and children, but do not go anywhere near those who have the mark. Start at my sanctuary.” So they started by killing the elders who were in front of 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, “Make the Temple unclean and fill the courtyards with dead bodies. Go ahead and do it!” So they went and started killing all through 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 busy killing people, I was left by myself. I fell facedown to the ground and cried out, “Lord God, when you pour out your anger on Jerusalem, are you going to destroy everyone who's left in 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 “The sins of the people of Israel and Judah are really terrible,” he replied. “The whole country is full of murderers, and those living in the city are criminals. They're saying, ‘The Lord has given up on our country. He can't see what we're doing.’

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 I certainly won't be kind to them or have mercy on them. I will make sure they suffer the consequences of what they've done.”

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 in linen with the writing kit returned and reported, “I've done what you told me to do.”

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.