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Then he thundered, “Call those to whom I have given the city! Tell them to bring their weapons with them!”

Six men appeared at his call, coming from the upper north gate, each one with his sword. One of them wore linen clothing and carried a writer’s case strapped to his side. They all went into the Temple and stood beside the bronze altar. And the glory of the God of Israel rose from between the Guardian Angels where it had rested and stood above the entrance to[a] the Temple.

And the Lord called to the man with the writer’s case and said to him, “Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who weep and sigh because of all the sins they see around them.”

Then I heard the Lord tell the other men: “Follow him through the city and kill everyone whose forehead isn’t marked. Spare not nor pity them— kill them all—old and young, girls, women, and little children; but don’t touch anyone with the mark. And begin right here at the Temple.” And so they began by killing the seventy elders.

And he said, “Defile the Temple! Fill its courts with the bodies of those you kill! Go!” And they went out through the city and did as they were told.

While they were fulfilling their orders, I was alone. I fell to the ground on my face and cried out: “O Lord God! Will your fury against Jerusalem wipe out everyone left in Israel?”

But he said to me, “The sins of the people of Israel and Judah are very great and all the land is full of murder and injustice, for they say, ‘The Lord doesn’t see it! He has gone away!’ 10 And so I will not spare them nor have any pity on them, and I will fully repay them for all that they have done.”

11 Just then the man in linen clothing, carrying the writer’s case, reported back and said, “I have finished the work you gave me to do.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 9:3 above the entrance to, literally, “above the threshold of.”

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

Y clamó en mis oídos con gran voz, diciendo: Los visitadores de la ciudad han llegado, y cada uno trae en su mano su instrumento para destruir.

Y he aquí que seis varones venían del camino de la puerta de arriba que está vuelta al aquilón, y cada uno traía en su mano su instrumento para destruir. Y entre ellos había un varón vestido de lienzos, el cual traía a su cintura un tintero de escribano; y entrados, se pararon junto al altar de bronce.

Y la gloria del Dios de Israel se alzó de sobre el querubín, sobre el cual había estado, al umbral de la Casa; y llamó al varón vestido de lienzos, que tenía a su cintura el tintero de escribano.

Y le dijo el SEÑOR: Pasa por en medio de la ciudad, por en medio de Jerusalén, y pon una señal en la frente a los varones que gimen y que claman a causa de todas las abominaciones que se hacen en medio de ella.

Y a los otros dijo a mis oídos: Pasad por la ciudad en pos de él, y herid; no perdone vuestro ojo, ni tengáis misericordia.

Matad viejos, mozos y vírgenes, niños y mujeres, hasta que no quede ninguno; mas a todo aquel sobre el cual hubiere señal, no llegaréis; y habéis de comenzar desde mi Santuario. Comenzaron, pues, desde los varones ancianos que estaban delante del Templo.

Y les dijo: Contaminad la casa, y llenad los atrios de muertos; salid. Y salieron, e hirieron en la ciudad.

Y aconteció que, habiéndoles herido, yo quedé, y me postré sobre mi rostro, y clamé, y dije: ¡Ah, Señor DIOS! ¿Has de destruir todo el remanente de Israel derramando tu furor sobre Jerusalén?

Y me dijo: La iniquidad de la Casa de Israel y de Judá es grande sobremanera, porque la tierra está llena de sangre, y la ciudad está llena de perversidad, porque han dicho: El SEÑOR ha dejado la tierra, y el SEÑOR no ve.

10 Así pues, yo, mi ojo no perdonará, ni tendré misericordia; el camino de ellos tornaré sobre su cabeza.

11 Y he aquí que el varón vestido de lienzos, que tenía el tintero a su cintura, respondió una palabra diciendo: He hecho conforme a todo lo que me mandaste.

Judgment on the Idolaters

Then I heard him call out in a loud voice, “Bring near those who are appointed to execute judgment on the city, each with a weapon in his hand.” And I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen(A) who had a writing kit at his side. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Now the glory(B) of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim,(C) where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side and said to him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem(D) and put a mark(E) on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament(F) over all the detestable things that are done in it.(G)

As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity(H) or compassion.(I) Slaughter(J) the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children,(K) but do not touch anyone who has the mark.(L) Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the old men(M) who were in front of the temple.(N)

Then he said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain.(O) Go!” So they went out and began killing throughout the city. While they were killing and I was left alone, I fell facedown,(P) crying out, “Alas, Sovereign Lord!(Q) Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel in this outpouring of your wrath(R) on Jerusalem?(S)

He answered me, “The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice.(T) They say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land; the Lord does not see.’(U) 10 So I will not look on them with pity(V) or spare them, but I will bring down on their own heads what they have done.(W)

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