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Ezekiel 9
EasyEnglish Bible
Ezekiel 9
EasyEnglish Bible
The death of people who worship idols
9 I heard the Lord shout loudly, ‘Bring here the men who will punish the people of this city! Tell the guards to bring their weapons with them.’ 2 Then I looked and I saw six men. They were coming from the higher gate that is on the north side of the temple. Each man carried his weapon and he was ready to kill. A man who was wearing white linen clothes was among them. At his side he had a small box with pens in it. They came in and they stood next to the bronze altar.[a]
3 The bright glory of Israel's God then moved up from above the cherubs where it had been. It moved to the entrance of the temple. Then the Lord called to the man who was wearing linen clothes. 4 He said, ‘Go everywhere in the city of Jerusalem. Find the people who are very sad because of the disgusting things that people are doing in the city. Use your pens to put a mark on those people. Put the mark on the front of their heads.’
5 While I listened, the Lord said to the other men, ‘Follow that man through the city. Kill people who do not have his mark on their heads. Do not be sorry for them. Do not be kind to them. 6 Kill the old men, young men and girls. Kill the women and the children. Destroy them all! But do not touch anyone who has the mark on their head.’
So the men started to kill. The first people that they killed were the city's leaders who were in front of the temple.
7 The Lord said to them, ‘Fill the yards of the temple with dead bodies! Make the temple an unclean place! Go and do it now!’ So they went out and they started to kill people everywhere in the city. 8 I was alone while they were doing this. I bent down low with my face towards the ground. I called out, ‘Almighty Lord! Will you destroy all Israel's people who are still alive? Are you so angry with the people of Jerusalem that you will do that?’
9 He answered me, ‘The sins of the people of Israel and Judah are very great. They murder people everywhere in the land. In the city, nobody does what is right. They say, “The Lord has gone away from our land! The Lord does not see what we are doing!” 10 So I will not be sorry for them. I will not be kind to them. Now I will punish them as they deserve for the things that they have done.’
11 Then I saw again the man who was wearing linen clothes, with the box of pens. He brought this message to the Lord: ‘I have done what you commanded me to do.’
Footnotes
- 9:2 The bronze altar was where the priests burned sacrifices to offer to God. See 2 Kings 16:14.
Ezekiel 9
New International Version
Ezekiel 9
New International Version
Judgment on the Idolaters
9 Then I heard him call out in a loud voice, “Bring near those who are appointed to execute judgment on the city, each with a weapon in his hand.” 2 And I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen(A) who had a writing kit at his side. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar.
3 Now the glory(B) of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim,(C) where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side 4 and said to him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem(D) and put a mark(E) on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament(F) over all the detestable things that are done in it.(G)”
5 As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity(H) or compassion.(I) 6 Slaughter(J) the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children,(K) but do not touch anyone who has the mark.(L) Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the old men(M) who were in front of the temple.(N)
7 Then he said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain.(O) Go!” So they went out and began killing throughout the city. 8 While they were killing and I was left alone, I fell facedown,(P) crying out, “Alas, Sovereign Lord!(Q) Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel in this outpouring of your wrath(R) on Jerusalem?(S)”
9 He answered me, “The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice.(T) They say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land; the Lord does not see.’(U) 10 So I will not look on them with pity(V) or spare them, but I will bring down on their own heads what they have done.(W)”
11 Then the man in linen with the writing kit at his side brought back word, saying, “I have done as you commanded.”
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