< Ezekiel 9 >
1 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
