Ezekiel 9

1 He cried also in my ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

Then crying out in my hearing in a loud voice, he said, Let the overseers of the town come near, every man armed.

2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lies toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.

And six men came from the way of the higher doorway looking to the north, every man with his axe in his hand: and one man among them was clothed in linen, with a writer's inkpot at his side. And they went in and took their places by the brass altar.

3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side;

And the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the winged ones on which it was resting, to the doorstep of the house. And crying out to the man clothed in linen who had the writer's inkpot at his side,

4 And the LORD said to him, Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the middle thereof.

The Lord said to him, Go through the town, through the middle of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the brows of the men who are sorrowing and crying for all the disgusting things which are done in it.

5 And to the others he said in my hearing, Go you after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have you pity:

And to these he said in my hearing, Go through the town after him using your axes: do not let your eyes have mercy, and have no pity:

6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man on whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

Give up to destruction old men and young men and virgins, little children and women: but do not come near any man who has the mark on him: and make a start at my holy place. So they made a start with the old men who were before the house.

7 And he said to them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go you forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

And he said to them, Make the house unclean, make the open places full of dead: go forward and send destruction on the town.

8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell on my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your fury on Jerusalem?

Now while they were doing so, and I was untouched, I went down on my face, and crying out, I said, Ah, Lord! will you give all the rest of Israel to destruction in letting loose your wrath on Jerusalem?

9 Then said he to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD has forsaken the earth, and the LORD sees not.

Then he said to me, The sin of the children of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is full of blood and the town full of evil ways: for they say, The Lord has gone away from the land, and the Lord does not see.

10 And as for me also, my eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way on their head.

And as for me, my eye will not have mercy, and I will have no pity, but I will send the punishment of their ways on their heads.

11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as you have commanded me.

Then the man clothed in linen, who had the inkpot at his side, came back and said, I have done what you gave me orders to do.