The Wicked Are Slain

Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, “Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a [a]deadly weapon in his hand.” And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his [b]battle-ax in his hand. (A)One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn [c]at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Now (B)the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the [d]temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put (C)a mark on the foreheads of the men (D)who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”

To the others He said in my [e]hearing, “Go after him through the city and (E)kill;[f] (F)do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. (G)Utterly[g] slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but (H)do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and (I)begin at My sanctuary.” (J)So they began with the elders who were before the [h]temple. Then He said to them, “Defile the [i]temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” And they went out and killed in the city.

So it was, that while they were killing them, I was left alone; and I (K)fell on my face and cried out, and said, (L)“Ah, Lord God! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel in pouring out Your fury on Jerusalem?”

Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and (M)the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, (N)‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and (O)the Lord does not see!’ 10 And as for Me also, My (P)eye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but (Q)I will recompense their deeds on their own head.”

11 Just then, the man clothed with linen, who had the inkhorn at his side, reported back and said, “I have done as You commanded me.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 9:1 Or destroying
  2. Ezekiel 9:2 Lit. shattering weapon
  3. Ezekiel 9:2 Lit. upon his loins
  4. Ezekiel 9:3 Lit. house
  5. Ezekiel 9:5 Lit. ears
  6. Ezekiel 9:5 Lit. strike
  7. Ezekiel 9:6 Lit. Slay to destruction
  8. Ezekiel 9:6 Lit. house
  9. Ezekiel 9:7 Lit. house

The Vision of Slaughter

Then He cried out in my [a]presence with a loud (A)voice, saying, “Come forward, you [b]executioners of the city, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand.” And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his smashing weapon in his hand; and among them was (B)one man clothed in linen with a scribe’s kit at his waist. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Then the (C)glory of the God of Israel ascended from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the [c]temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose waist was the scribe’s kit. And the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and make a (D)mark on the foreheads of the people who (E)groan and sigh over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” But to the others He said in my [d]presence, “Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare. [e]Utterly (F)kill old men, young men, female virgins, little children, and women, but do not (G)touch any person on whom is the mark; and you shall (H)start from My sanctuary.” So they started with the [f]elders who were before the [g]temple. He also said to them, “(I)Defile the [h]temple and fill the courtyards with the dead. Go out!” So they went out and struck and killed the people in the city. And as they were striking the people and I alone was left, I (J)fell on my face and cried out, [i]saying, “(K)Oh, Lord [j]God! Are You going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel [k]by pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?”

Then He said to me, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is (L)filled with blood, and the city is (M)full of perversion; for (N)they say, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land, and the Lord does not see!’ 10 But as for Me, (O)My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but (P)I will bring their conduct upon their heads.”

11 Then behold, the man clothed in linen, at whose waist was the scribe’s kit, [l]reported, saying, “I have done just as You have commanded me.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 9:1 Lit ears
  2. Ezekiel 9:1 Lit punishers
  3. Ezekiel 9:3 Lit house
  4. Ezekiel 9:5 Lit ears
  5. Ezekiel 9:6 Lit To destruction
  6. Ezekiel 9:6 Or old men
  7. Ezekiel 9:6 Lit house
  8. Ezekiel 9:7 Lit house
  9. Ezekiel 9:8 Lit and said
  10. Ezekiel 9:8 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  11. Ezekiel 9:8 Lit by Your pouring
  12. Ezekiel 9:11 Lit brought back word

The Vision of Slaughter

Then [in my vision] I heard Him cry out with a thunderous voice, saying, “Approach now, executioners of the city, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand.” Behold, six men [angelic beings] came from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with his battle-axe in his hand; and among them was a [a]certain man clothed in linen, with a scribe’s writing case at his side. They entered and stood beside the bronze altar.

Then the [[b]Shekinah] glory and brilliance of the God of Israel (the cloud) [c]went up from the cherubim on which it had rested, to [stand above] the threshold of the [Lord’s] temple. And the Lord called to the man clothed with linen, who had the scribe’s writing case at his side. The Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, throughout all of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh [in distress] and grieve over all the repulsive acts which are being committed in it.” But to the others I heard Him say, “Follow him [the man with the scribe’s writing case] throughout the city and strike; do not let your eyes have pity and do not spare [anyone]. Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women; but do not touch or go near anyone on whom is the mark. Begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the old men who were in front of the temple [who did not have the Lord’s mark on their foreheads].(A) And He said to the executioners, “Defile the temple and fill its courtyards with the dead. Go out!” So they went out and struck down the people in the city. As they were executing them and I alone was left, I fell face downward and cried out, “Alas, Lord God! Will You destroy all that is left of Israel [the whole remnant] by pouring out Your wrath and indignation on Jerusalem?”

Then He said to me, “The wickedness (guilt) of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of blood and the city is full of perversion and injustice; for they say, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land; the Lord does not see [what we are doing].’ 10 But as for Me, My eye will have no pity, nor will I spare, but I will bring their [wicked] conduct upon their [own] heads.”

11 Then behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the scribe’s writing case at his side, reported, “I have done just as You have commanded me.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 9:2 The linen clothing of the seventh angel denotes his superior rank.
  2. Ezekiel 9:3 The word Shekinah does not appear in the Bible, but it was used by ancient Jews to refer to the physical presence of God among men; usually the Shekinah glory.
  3. Ezekiel 9:3 God begins His departure from the temple.

He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.

And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;

And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:

Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not.

10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.

11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.