Ezekiel 9

1 Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Cause those who are in charge of the city to draw near, each man with his destroying weapon in his hand.”

Then cried he in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Draw near ye that have charge of the city, -even every man with his weapon of destruction in his hand.

2 Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies towards the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand. One man in the middle of them was clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar.

And lo! six men coming in out of the way of the upper gate which looketh toward the north even every man with his destructive weapon in his hand, and one man in their midst clothed with linen, having a scribe’s ink holder by his side, —so they came in and stood beside the altar of bronze.

3 The glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house; and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn by his side.

And the glory of the God of Israel lifted itself up from off the cherub whereon it had been, unto the threshold of the house, —and he called unto the man clothed with linen, who had the scribe’s ink holder by his side.

4 The LORD said to him, “Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”

Then said Yahweh unto him. Pass along through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, —and set thou a mark upon the foreheads of the men who are sighing and crying over all the abominations that are being done in her midst.

5 To the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him, and strike. Don’t let your eye spare, neither have pity.

But unto these, said he in mine ears, Pass along through the city after him and smite, —let not your eye, shield, neither have ye pity:

6 Kill utterly the old man, the young man, the virgin, little children and women; but don’t come near any man on whom is the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” Then they began at the old men who were before the house.

elder, young man and virgin and little ones and women, shall ye slay utterly, but unto any man who hath upon him the mark, do not ye come near, and at my sanctuary, shall ye begin. So they began with the elder men. who were before the house.

7 He said to them, “Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” They went out, and struck in the city.

And he said unto them Defile ye the house and fill the courts with the slain, —go ye forth! So they went forth and smote in the city.

8 While they were killing, and I was left, I fell on my face, and cried, and said, “Ah Lord GOD! Will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on Jerusalem?”

And it came to pass, while they were smiting them—I being left remaining, that I fell upon my face and made outcry, and said Alas! My Lord. Yahweh art thou about to destroy all the remnant of Israel, in that thou art pouring out of thine indignation upon Jerusalem?

9 Then 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 perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD doesn’t see.’

And he said unto me the iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah, is exceeding, great, and the land is filled with shed blood, and the city is full of over-reaching, —for they have said. Yahweh hath forsaken the land, — and Yahweh doth not see.

10 As for me also, my eye won’t spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head.”

Therefore as for even me, Mine eye shall not shield. Neither will I pity, — Their way upon their own head, have I rendered.

11 Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, “I have done as you have commanded me.”

And lo! the man clothed in linen, having the ink-holder by his side, bringing back word saying, — I have done according to all which thou didst command me.