Ezekiel 9

The Vision of Slaughter

1Then He cried out in my hearing with a loud 1voice saying, “Draw near, 2O executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.” 2Behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was 3a certain man clothed in linen with a 4writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

3Then the 5glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the 6temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case. 4The Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a 7mark on the foreheads of the men who 8sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” 5But to the others He said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare. 69Utterly 10slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not 11touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall 12start from My sanctuary.” So they started with the 13elders who were before the 14temple. 7And He said to them, “15Defile the 16temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” Thus they went out and struck down the people in the city. 8As they were striking the people and I alone was left, I 17fell on my face and cried out 18saying, “19Alas, Lord 20God! Are You destroying the whole remnant of Israel 21by pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?”

9Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is 22filled with blood and the city is 23full of perversion; for 24they say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see!’ 10But as for Me, 25My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but 26I will bring their conduct upon their heads.”

11Then behold, the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the 27writing case 28reported, saying, “I have done just as You have commanded me.”