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!”
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, in my hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite! let not your eyes spare, neither have ye pity!
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 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, “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 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 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 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 “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.’
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 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.”
Therefore mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity. Their way will I recompense upon their head.
11 Then the man in linen with the writing kit returned and reported, “I've done what you told me to do.”
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.
