Ezekiel, 9

¹ And he proceeded to call out in my ears with a loud voice, saying: “HAVE those giving their attention to the city come near, each one with his weapon in his hand for bringing ruin!”

² And, look! there were six men^*1 coming from the direction of the upper gate that faces to the north, each one with his weapon for smashing in his hand; and there was one man^*2 in among them clothed with linen, with a secretary’s inkhorn^*3 at his hips, and they proceeded to come in and stand beside the copper altar.

³ And as regards the glory of the God^*1 of Israel, it was taken up from over the cherubs^*2 over which it happened to be to the threshold of the house, and he began calling out to the man^*3 that was clothed with the linen, at whose hips there was the secretary’s inkhorn.

⁴ And Jehovah went on to say to him: “Pass through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and you must put a mark^*1 on the foreheads of the men that are sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done in the midst of it.”

⁵ And to these [others] he said in my ears: “Pass through the city after him and strike. Let not your eye feel sorry, and do not feel any compassion.

⁶ Old man, young man and virgin and little child and women YOU should kill off—to a ruination. But to any man upon whom there is the mark do not go near, and from my sanctuary YOU should start.” So they started with the old men^*1 that were before the house.

⁷ And he said further to them: “Defile the house and fill the courtyards with the slain ones. Go forth!” And they went forth and struck in the city.

⁸ And it came about that, while they were striking and I was left remaining, I proceeded to fall upon my face and cry out and say: “Alas, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah! Are you bringing to ruin all the remaining ones of Israel while you are pouring out your rage upon Jerusalem?”

⁹ So he said to me: “The error of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with bloodshed^*1 and the city is full of crookedness; for they have said, ‘Jehovah has left the land,^*2 and Jehovah is not seeing.’^*3

¹⁰ And as for me also, my eye will not feel sorry, neither shall I show compassion. Their way I shall certainly bring upon their own head.”

¹¹ And, look! the man^*1 clothed with the linen, at whose hips there was the inkhorn,^*2 was bringing back word, saying: “I have done just as you have commanded me.”