Ezekiel 9

1 Then I heard Yahweh call out loudly, “[You men who are going to punish this city, ] bring here the guards of the city, each carrying a weapon.”

And he cried in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, The judgment of the city has drawn near; and each had the weapons of destruction in his hand.

2 Then I saw six men coming from the north gate of the temple area. Each one was carrying a weapon. With them was a man wearing a white linen robe. [carried] at his side a case containing things to write with. They [all] came into the temple and stood beside the bronze 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 [Then] the (glory/dazzling light) [that symbolized the presence] of the God of Israel rose up from above the four winged creatures and moved to the entrance of the temple. Then Yahweh called to the man wearing the linen robe,

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 said to him, “Go throughout Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who are very sad [DOU] because of the detestable things that are being done inside the city.”

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 While I was listening, he said to the other six men, “Follow the man wearing the white robe, and kill people. Do not pity them or act mercifully toward them.

And he said to the first in my hearing, Go after him into the city, and strike: and let not your eyes spare, and have no mercy.

6 Slaughter old men, young men and women, older women and children, but do not harm any of those who have that mark on their forehead. Start at my temple.” So they began by killing the elders who were [worshiping idols] in front of the temple.

Slay utterly old man and youth, and virgin, and infants, and women: but go you not near any on whom is the mark: begin at my sanctuary. So they began with the elder men who were within in the house.

7 Then Yahweh said to those men, “Pollute the temple by filling the [with the corpses of those whom] you kill! Start now!” So they went out and starting killing people throughout the city.

And he said to them, Defile the house, and go out and fill the ways with dead bodies, and strike.

8 While they were doing that, I was left alone. I prostrated myself on the ground and cried out, “Yahweh my Lord, are you going to get rid of all the people of Israel and Judah who are still alive, while you are severely punishing [MTY] [the people of] Jerusalem?”

And it came to pass as they were striking, that I fell upon my face, and cried out, and said, Alas, O Lord! will you destroy the remnant of Israel, in pouring out your wrath upon Jerusalem?

9 He replied, “The sins of the people [MTY] of Israel and Judah are extremely great. People are murdered [MTY] everywhere [in this country], and this city is full of [people who act] unjustly. They say, ‘Yahweh has abandoned this country, and he does not [what we are doing].’

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 [So] I will not pity them or act mercifully toward them. I will do to them the evil things that they have done to other people.”

Therefore mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have any mercy: I have recompensed their ways upon their heads.

11 Then the man wearing the linen robe returned, saying, “I have done what you commanded me to do.”

And, behold, the man clothed with the long robe, and girded with the girdle about his loins, answered and said, I have done as you did command me.