Ezekiel 9:4–11

⁴“Pass throughout the city of Jerusalem,” the Lord said to him, “and put a mark on the foreheads ^qof the men who sigh and groan ^rover all the detestable practices committed in it.”

⁵He spoke as I listened to the others, “Pass through the city after him and start killing; do not show pity or spare them! ^s6Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, as well as the older women and little children, ^tbut do not come near anyone who has the mark. ^uNow begin at My sanctuary.” ^vSo they began with the elders who were in front of the temple. ⁷Then He said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. ^wGo!” So they went out killing people in the city.

⁸While they were killing, I was left alone. And I fell facedown and cried out, “Oh, Lord God! ^xAre You going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel when You pour out Your wrath on Jerusalem?”

⁹He answered me: “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of bloodshed, ^yand the city full of perversity. For they say, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land; ^zHe does not see.’ ^a10But as for Me, I will not show pity or spare them. ^bI will bring their actions down on their own heads.” ^c11Then the man clothed in linen with the writing equipment at his side reported back, “I have done as You commanded me.”