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.”

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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

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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