< Ezekiel 9 >
1 He cryed also with a loude voyce in mine eares, saying, The visitations of the citie draw neere, and euery man hath a weapon in his hande to destroy it.
And he cried in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, The judgment of the city has drawn nigh; and each had the weapons of destruction in his hand.
2 And beholde, sixe men came by the way of the hie gate, which lieth towarde the North, and euery man a weapon in his hande to destroy it: and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writers ynkhorne by his side, and they went in and stoode beside the brasen altar.
And, behold, six men came from the way of the high gate that looks toward 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.
3 And the glorie of the God of Israel was gone vp from ye Cherub, whereupon he was and stoode on the doore of the house, and he called to the man clothed with linnen, which had the writers ynkhorne by his side.
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;
4 And the Lord said vnto him, Goe through the middes of the citie, euen through the middes of Ierusalem and set a marke vpon the foreheads of them that mourne, and cry for all the abominations that be done in the middes thereof.
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.
5 And to the other he said, that I might heare, Goe ye after him through the citie, and smite: let your eye spare none, neither haue pitie.
And he said to the first in my hearing, Go after him into the city, and smite: and let not your eyes spare, and have no mercy.
6 Destroy vtterly the old, and the yong, and the maides, and the children, and the women, but touch no man, vpon whome is the marke, and begin at my Sanctuarie. Then they began at the Ancient men, which were before the house.
Slay utterly old man and youth, and virgin, and infants, and women: but go ye not nigh any on whom is the mark: begin at my sanctuary. So they began with the elder men who were within in the house.
7 And he sayde vnto them, Defile the house, and fill the courtes with the slaine, then goe foorth: and they went out, and slewe them in the citie.
And he said to them, Defile the house, and go out and fill the ways with dead bodies, and smite.
8 Nowe when they had slaine them, and I had escaped, I fell downe vpon my face, and cryed, saying, Ah Lord God, wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel, in powring out thy wrath vpon Ierusalem?
And it came to pass as they were smiting, that I fell upon my face, and cried out, and said, Alas, O Lord! wilt thou destroy the remnant of Israel, in pouring out thy wrath upon Jerusalem?
9 Then saide he vnto me, The iniquitie of the house of Israel, and Iudah is exceeding great, so that the lande is full of blood, and the citie full of corrupt iudgement: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth vs not.
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].
10 As touching me also, mine eye shall not spare them, neither will I haue pitie, but will recompence their wayes vpon their heades.
Therefore mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have any mercy: I have recompensed their ways upon their heads.
11 And beholde, the man clothed with linen which had the ynkhorne by his side, made report, and saide, Lord, I haue done as thou hast commanded me.
And, behold, the man clothed with the long robe, and girt with the girdle about his loins, answered and said, I have done as thou didst command me.