Chapter 9

The Vision of Slaughter

1 Then He cried out in my hearing with a loud avoice saying, “Draw near, 1O executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.”

2 Behold, 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 aa certain man clothed in linen with a 1writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

3 Then the aglory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the 1temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case.

4 The Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a amark on the foreheads of the men who bsigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.”

5 But 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.

6 “1Utterly aslay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not btouch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall cstart from My sanctuary.” So they started with the 2elders who were before the 3temple.

7 And He said to them, “aDefile the 1temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” Thus they went out and struck down the people in the city.

8 As they were striking the people and I alone was left, I afell on my face and cried out 1saying, “bAlas, Lord 2God! Are You destroying the whole remnant of Israel 3by pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?”

9 Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is afilled with blood and the city is bfull of perversion; for cthey say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see!’

10 “But as for Me, aMy eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but bI will bring their conduct upon their heads.”

11 Then behold, the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the 1writing case 2reported, saying, “I have done just as You have commanded me.”