Vision of Slaughter in Jerusalem

Then he called loudly in my hearing, “Come near, executioners of the city, each of you with a destructive weapon in his hand.” And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate,(A) which faces north, each with a war club in his hand. There was another man among them, clothed in linen,(B) carrying writing equipment. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.

Then the glory of the God of Israel(C) rose from above the cherub where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. He called to the man clothed in linen and carrying writing equipment. “Pass throughout the city of Jerusalem,” the Lord said to him, “and put a mark on the foreheads(D) of the men who sigh and groan(E) over all the detestable practices committed in it.”

He spoke to the others in my hearing: “Pass through the city after him and start killing; do not show pity or spare them!(F) Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, as well as the children and older women,(G) but do not come near anyone who has the mark.(H) Begin at my sanctuary.”(I) So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple. Then he said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain.(J) Go!” So they went out killing people in the city.

While they were killing, I was left alone. And I fell facedown and cried out, “Oh, Lord God!(K) Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel when you pour out your wrath on Jerusalem?”

He answered me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of bloodshed,(L) and the city full of perversity. For they say, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land;(M) he does not see.’(N) 10 But as for me, I will not show pity or spare them.(O) I will bring their conduct down on their own heads.”(P)

11 Then the man clothed in linen and carrying writing equipment reported back, “I have done all that you commanded me.”

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The Slaughter of the Idolaters

Then he cried in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, “Draw near, you executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.” And six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand; among them was a man clothed in linen with a writing case at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.(A)

Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub on which it rested to the entryway of the temple. The Lord[a] called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing case at his side(B) and said to him, “Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of those who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.”(C) To the others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him and kill; your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity.(D) Cut down old men, young men and young women, little children and women, but touch no one who has the mark. And begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were in front of the house.(E) Then he said to them, “Defile the house and fill the courts with the slain. Go!” So they went out and killed in the city.(F) While they were killing and I was left alone, I fell prostrate on my face and cried out, “Ah Lord God! Will you destroy all who remain of Israel as you pour out your wrath upon Jerusalem?”(G) He said to me, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city full of perversity, for they say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see.’(H) 10 As for me, my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity, but I will bring down their deeds upon their heads.”(I)

11 Then the man clothed in linen with the writing case at his side brought back word, saying, “I have done as you commanded me.”

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Footnotes

  1. 9.3 Heb he