Ezekiel 9
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Vision of Slaughter in Jerusalem
9 Then He called to me directly with a loud voice, “Come near, executioners of the city, each of you with a destructive weapon in his hand.” 2 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) with writing equipment at his side. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.
3 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 with the writing equipment at his side. 4 “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.”
5 He spoke as I listened to the others, “Pass through the city after him and start killing; do not show pity or spare them!(F) 6 Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, as well as the older women and little children,(G) but do not come near anyone who has the mark.(H) Now begin at My sanctuary.”(I) So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple. 7 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.
8 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?”
9 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 actions down on their own heads.”(P) 11 Then the man clothed in linen with the writing equipment at his side reported back, “I have done as You commanded me.”
Ezekiel 9
Common English Bible
9 Then in my hearing he called out loudly: Draw near, you guardians of the city, and bring your weapons of destruction! 2 Suddenly, six men came from the Upper Gate that faces north. All of them were holding weapons of destruction. Among them was another man who was dressed in linen and had a writing case at his side. When they came in and stood beside the bronze altar, 3 the glory of Israel’s God rose from above the winged creatures[a] where he had been and moved toward the temple’s threshold. The Lord called to the man who was dressed in linen with the writing case at his side: 4 Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and mark the foreheads of those who sigh and groan because of all the detestable practices that have been conducted in it. 5 To the others he said in my hearing: Go through the city after him, and attack. Spare no one! Be merciless! 6 Kill them all, old men, young men and women, babies and mothers. Only don’t touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary. So they began with the men, the elders in front of the temple. 7 He said to them: Make the temple unclean! Fill the courts with the slain! Go! And they went out and attacked the city.
8 While they were attacking, I was left alone. I fell on my face, and I cried out, “Oh, Lord God! When you pour out your wrath on Jerusalem, will you destroy all that is left of Israel?”
9 He said to me: “Judah and the house of Israel are very, very guilty. The land is filled with blood, and the city is full of injustice. They have said, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land; the Lord sees nothing.’ 10 I most definitely won’t spare or pity anyone! I will hold them accountable for their ways.”
11 Just then the man who was dressed in linen with the writing case at his side returned and said, “I’ve done just as you commanded.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 9:3 LXX; MT creature
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