The Prophet Ezekiel

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 9 -

Then he cried in my hearing with a loud voice, and said, “Let the guards come up to the city, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand.”

Then behold! Six men came from the pathway of the upper gate that faces north, each with his weapon of slaughter in his hand. There was a man in their midst dressed in linen with a scribe’s equipment at his side. So they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherubim where it had been to the threshold of the house. He called to the man dressed in linen who had the scribe’s equipment at his side.

Yahweh said to him, “Pass through the midst of the city-the midst of Jerusalem-and make a mark on the foreheads of those who groan and sigh about all the abominations being performed in the midst of the city.”

Then he spoke to the others within my hearing, “Pass through the city after him and kill. Do not let your eyes have compassion, and do not spare,

either old man, young man, virgin, little children or women. Kill all of them! But do not approach anyone who has the mark on his head. Begin at my sanctuary!” So they began with the elders who were in front of the house.

He said to them, “Defile the house, and fill its courtyards with the dead. Proceed!” So they went out and attacked the city.

As they were attacking it, I found myself alone and I fell on my face and cried out and said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh, will you destroy all the remnant of Israel in the outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?”

He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of blood and the city full of perversions, since they say, ‘Yahweh has forgotten the land,’ and ‘Yahweh does not see!’

So then, my eye will not look with compassion, and I will not spare them. I will instead bring it all on their heads.”

Behold! The man dressed in linen who had the scribe’s equipment by his side came back. He reported and said, “I have done all that you have commanded.”

Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Cause those who are in charge of the city to draw near, each man with his destroying weapon in his hand.”

Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand. One man in the middle of them was clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar.

The glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house; and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn by his side.

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 over all the abominations that are done within it.”

To the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him, and strike. Don’t let your eye spare, neither have pity.

Kill utterly the old man, the young man, the virgin, little children and women; but don’t come near any man on whom is the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” Then they began at the old men who were before the house.

He said to them, “Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” They went out, and struck in the city.

While they were killing, and I was left, 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 wrath on Jerusalem?”

Then he said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD doesn’t see.’

As for me also, my eye won’t spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head.”

Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, “I have done as you have commanded me.”