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Then he cried in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, [a]Cause ye them that have charge over the city to draw near, every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. And behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lieth toward the north, every man with his [b]slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn [c]by his side. And they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.

And the glory of the God of Israel was gone 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 [d]by his side. And Jehovah 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 over all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in my hearing, Go ye through the city after him, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity; slay [e]utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, 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 [f]old men that 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 smote in the city. And it came to pass, while they were smiting, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord Jehovah! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy wrath 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 [g]wresting of judgment: for they say, Jehovah hath forsaken the land, and Jehovah seeth not. 10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way upon their head. 11 And, behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 9:1 Or, Draw ye near that etc.
  2. Ezekiel 9:2 Or, battle-axe
  3. Ezekiel 9:2 Hebrew upon his loins.
  4. Ezekiel 9:3 Hebrew upon his loins.
  5. Ezekiel 9:6 Hebrew to destruction.
  6. Ezekiel 9:6 Or, elders
  7. Ezekiel 9:9 Or, perverseness

Yahweh’s Avenging Messenger Destroys the Wicked in the City

And he called in my ears with a loud voice, saying,[a]They have come near,[b] the punishers of the city, and each with his weapon of destruction in his hand. And look! Six men coming from the way of the upper gate[c] that faced northward,[d] and each with his weapon for[e] shattering in his hand; and one man was in the midst of them, dressed in linen, and the[f] writing case of the scribe was at his side. And they came and stood beside the bronze altar. And the glory of the God of Israel lifted itself up from upon the cherub that he was on[g] and went to the threshold of the house,[h] and he called to the man who was clothed in linen with a scribal writing case at his side.[i] And Yahweh said to him, “Go through in the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem, and you must place a mark on the foreheads of the men who are groaning and lamenting[j] about all of the detestable things that are being done[k] in the midst of her.” And to the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city behind him and kill! Your eyes shall not take pity, and you shall not have compassion. You must kill totally[l] old man, young man and young woman, and little children and women, but concerning[m] every man with the mark on him[n] you must not approach; and from my sanctuary you must begin.” And they began with the old men who were before[o] the house.[p] And he said to them, “Defile the house[q] and fill the courtyards with the dead; go out! And they went out, and they killed in the city. And then[r] as they were striking,[s] and I was left behind, I fell on my face, and I cried out, and I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! “Will you be destroying all of the remnant of Israel while you pour out your rage[t] on Jerusalem?” And he said to me, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly[u] great, and the land is filled with bloodguilt, and the city is full of injustice. For they say Yahweh abandoned the land, and Yahweh does not see.[v] 10 And I, my eye will not take pity, and I will not have compassion; their way I will bring on their head.” 11 And look! The man clothed in linen and with a writing case at his side[w] was bringing back a word, saying,[x] “I have done all that you commanded me.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 9:1 Literally “to say”
  2. Ezekiel 9:1 Or “Come near” (imperative)
  3. Ezekiel 9:2 Literally “the gate of the upper”
  4. Ezekiel 9:2 Literally “faced north + directive”
  5. Ezekiel 9:2 Or “of”
  6. Ezekiel 9:2 Or “his”
  7. Ezekiel 9:3 Hebrew “which he was on it”
  8. Ezekiel 9:3 That is, the temple
  9. Ezekiel 9:3 Literally “whom a writing case of a scribe was at his side”
  10. Ezekiel 9:4 Literally “the men the groaning and the lamenting”
  11. Ezekiel 9:4 Literally “the being done”
  12. Ezekiel 9:6 Literally “to destruction”
  13. Ezekiel 9:6 Literally “upon”
  14. Ezekiel 9:6 Literally “which is on him the mark”
  15. Ezekiel 9:6 Literally “were to the face of”
  16. Ezekiel 9:6 That is, the temple
  17. Ezekiel 9:7 Or “temple”
  18. Ezekiel 9:8 Literally “and it was”
  19. Ezekiel 9:8 Literally “in their striking”
  20. Ezekiel 9:8 Literally “when pouring out your rage”
  21. Ezekiel 9:9 Literally “with very very”
  22. Ezekiel 9:9 Literally “not Yahweh is seeing
  23. Ezekiel 9:11 Literally “which/whom the writing-case was at his side”
  24. Ezekiel 9:11 Literally “to say”