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 crieth in mine ears — a loud voice — saying, 'Drawn near have inspectors of the city, and each his destroying weapon 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 lo, six men are coming from the way of the upper gate, that is facing the north, and each his slaughter-weapon in his hand, and one man in their midst is clothed with linen, and a scribe's inkhorn at his loins, and they come in, and stand 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 honour of the God of Israel hath gone up from off the cherub, on which it hath been, unto the threshold of the house.

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 He calleth unto the man who is clothed with linen, who hath the scribe's inkhorn at his loins, and Jehovah saith unto him, 'Pass on into the midst of the city, into the midst of Jerusalem, and thou hast made a mark on the foreheads of the men who are sighing and who are groaning for all the abominations that are done in its midst.'

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 to the others he said in mine ears, 'Pass on into the city after him, and smite; your eye doth not pity, nor do ye spare;

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.

aged, young man, and virgin, and infant, and women, ye do slay — to destruction; and against any man on whom [is] the mark ye do not go nigh, and from My sanctuary ye begin.'

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 they begin among the aged men who [are] before the house, and He saith unto them, 'Defile the house, and fill the courts with the wounded, go forth.' And they have gone forth and have smitten in the city.

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 cometh to pass, as they are smiting, and I — I am left — that I fall on my face, and cry, and say, 'Ah, Lord Jehovah, art Thou destroying all the remnant of Israel, in Thy pouring out Thy wrath on 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].’

And He saith unto me, 'The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah [is] very very great, and the land is full of blood, and the city hath been full of perverseness, for they have said: Jehovah hath forsaken the land, and Jehovah is not seeing.

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.”

And I also, Mine eye doth not pity, nor do I spare; their way on their own head I have put.'

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

And lo, the man clothed with linen, at whose loins [is] the inkhorn, is bringing back word, saying, 'I have done as Thou hast commanded me.'