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Wrath Upon Jerusalem

Then He called into my ears in a loud voice saying: “Bring near the executioners of the city, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand.” Behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate, facing north, each with his war club in his hand. One man among them, clothed in linen, had a scribe’s writing case at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cheruv, where it had been, to the threshold of the House. He called to the man clothed in linen, who had the scribe’s inkhorn at his side. Adonai said to him, “Go throughout the city, through the midst of Jerusalem. Make a mark on the foreheads of the people[a] who sigh and moan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” To the others He said in my hearing: “Go through the city after him and strike. Show no pity or compassion; kill off old men, young men and girls, little children and women. But touch no one who has the mark. Begin at My Sanctuary.” Then they began with the elders who were before the House.

He said to them, “Defile the House and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” So they went out and began to kill in the city.

While they were out killing, and I was left alone, I fell on my face and cried out saying, “Alas, Adonai Elohim! Are you going to destroy all the remnant of Israel by pouring out Your wrath upon Jerusalem?”

He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great; the land is full of blood and the city is full of corruption. For they say, ‘Adonai has forsaken the land, Adonai does not see!’ 10 As for Me, my eye will not show pity nor will I spare. I will bring their conduct upon their head.”

11 Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn at his side, reported saying, “I have done just as You have commanded me.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 9:4 cf. Rev. 9:4.

He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.

And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;

And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:

Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not.

10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.

11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.