CHAPTER 9
Then I heard Him
call out
in a loud
voice,
saying,
“Draw near,
O executioners
of the city,
each
with a weapon
of destruction
in his hand.”
And I saw
six
men
coming
from the direction
of the Upper
Gate,
which
faces
north,
each
with a weapon
of slaughter
in his hand.
With them
was another
man
clothed
in linen
who had a writing kit
at his side.
And they came in
and stood
beside
the bronze
altar.
Then the glory
of the God
of Israel
rose
from above
the cherubim,
where
it had been,
and moved
to
the threshold
of the temple.
And He called
to
the man
clothed
in linen
who had the writing kit
at his side.
“Go
throughout
the city
of
Jerusalem,”
said
the LORD,
“and put
a mark
on
the foreheads
of the men
sighing
and groaning
over
all
the abominations
committed
there.”
And as I listened,
He said
to the others,
“Follow him
through the city
and start killing;
do not
show pity
or spare anyone!
Slaughter
the old men,
the young men
and maidens,
the women
and children,
but do not
go near
anyone
who
has the mark.
Now begin
at My sanctuary.”
So they began
with the elders
who were
before
the temple.
Then He told
them,
“Defile
the temple
and fill
the courts
with the slain.
Go forth!”
So they went out
and began killing
throughout the city.
While they were killing,
I
was left alone.
And I fell
facedown
and cried out,
“Oh,
Lord
GOD,
when You pour out
Your wrath
on
Jerusalem,
will You
destroy
the entire
remnant
of Israel?”
And He said
to me,
“The iniquity
of the house
of Israel
and Judah
is exceedingly
great.
The land
is full of
bloodshed,
and the city
full of
perversity.
For
they say,
‘The LORD
has forsaken
the land;
the LORD
does not
see."
But as for Me,
I
will not
show pity
or spare them.
I will bring their deeds
down
upon their own heads.”
Then
the man
clothed
in linen
with the writing kit
at his side
reported back,
“I have done
as
You
commanded.”