Ezekiel 9:1-11
9 He then called out in my ears with a loud voice, saying: “Summon those who will bring punishment on the city, each one with his weapon for destruction in his hand!”
2 I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate+ that faces north, each with his weapon for smashing in his hand; and there was one man among them clothed in linen, with a secretary’s inkhorn* at his waist, and they came in and stood beside the copper altar.+
3 Then the glory of the God of Israel+ rose from where it had rested above the cherubs and moved to the threshold of the doorway of the house,+ and he began calling out to the man who was clothed in linen, at whose waist was the secretary’s inkhorn.
4 Jehovah said to him: “Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who are sighing and groaning+ over all the detestable things that are being done in the city.”+
5 And to the others he said in my hearing: “Go through the city after him and strike. Do not let your eye feel sorry, and do not feel any compassion.+
6 Old man, young man, virgin, little child, and women you should kill off completely.+ But do not go near to any man on whom there is the mark.+ You should start from my sanctuary.”+ So they started with the elders who were in front of the house.+
7 Then he said to them: “Defile the house and fill the courtyards with the slain.+ Go!” So they went out and struck down people in the city.
8 While they were striking them down, I alone was left, and I fell facedown and cried out: “Alas, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah! Are you going to destroy all the remaining ones of Israel while you pour out your rage on Jerusalem?”+
9 So he said to me: “The error of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great.+ The land is filled with bloodshed,+ and the city is full of corruption.+ For they say, ‘Jehovah has left the land, and Jehovah is not seeing.’+
10 But as for me, my eye will not feel sorry; nor will I show compassion.+ The consequences of their way I will bring down on their own head.”
11 Then I saw the man clothed in linen with the inkhorn at his waist bringing back word, saying: “I have done just as you have commanded me.”
Footnotes
^ Or “a scribe’s ink holder.”
