Ezekiel 9
New King James Version
The Wicked Are Slain
9 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.” 2 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.
3 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; 4 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.”
5 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. 6 (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. 7 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.
8 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?”
9 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
- Ezekiel 9:1 Or destroying
- Ezekiel 9:2 Lit. shattering weapon
- Ezekiel 9:2 Lit. upon his loins
- Ezekiel 9:3 Lit. house
- Ezekiel 9:5 Lit. ears
- Ezekiel 9:5 Lit. strike
- Ezekiel 9:6 Lit. Slay to destruction
- Ezekiel 9:6 Lit. house
- Ezekiel 9:7 Lit. house
Ezekiel 9
Good News Translation
Jerusalem Is Punished
9 Then I heard God shout, “Come here, you men who are going to punish the city. Bring your weapons with you.” 2 At once six men came from the outer north gate of the Temple, each one carrying a weapon. With them was a man dressed in linen clothes, carrying something to write with. They all came and stood by the bronze altar.
3 Then the dazzling light of the presence of the God of Israel rose up from the winged creatures[a] where it had been, and moved to the entrance of the Temple. The Lord called to the man dressed in linen, 4 (A)“Go through the whole city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the forehead of everyone who is distressed and troubled because of all the disgusting things being done in the city.”
5 And I heard God say to the other men, “Follow him through the city and kill. Spare no one; have mercy on no one. 6 Kill the old men, young men, young women, mothers, and children. But don't touch anyone who has the mark on his forehead. Start here at my Temple.” So they began with the leaders who were standing there at the Temple.
7 God said to them, “Defile the Temple. Fill its courtyards with corpses. Get to work!” So they began to kill the people in the city.[b]
8 While the killing was going on, I was there alone. I threw myself face downward on the ground and shouted, “Sovereign Lord, are you so angry with Jerusalem that you are going to kill everyone left in Israel?”
9 God answered, “The people of Israel and Judah are guilty of terrible sins. They have committed murder all over the land and have filled Jerusalem with crime. They say that I, the Lord, have abandoned their country and that I don't see them. 10 But I will not have pity on them; I will do to them what they have done to others.”
11 Then the man wearing linen clothes returned and reported to the Lord, “I have carried out your orders.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 9:3 See 1.5-12.
- Ezekiel 9:7 work!” So they … city.; or work! Go on and start killing the people in the city!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
