*THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
EZEKIEL
Ezekiel 9 ©
God commands six men to execute His vengeance in Jerusalem, v. 1. The glory of the Lord departs to the threshold of the temple, 3. God commands a man clothed in linen first to set a mark upon all the godly, 4. He commands the others to destroy all the rest, 5. Which being done, the prophet is greatly troubled at it, 8. Receives thereupon an answer from God, 9. The man clothed in linen reports the execution of His commission, 11.
HE1 cried also 2in mine ears with a loud voice, 3saying, Cause 4them that have charge over 5the city to draw near, even every man with his 6destroying weapon in his hand.
And, behold, 7six men came from the way 8of the higher gate, which lieth 9toward the north, and 10every man 11a slaughter weapon in his hand; and 12one man among them was clothed 13with linen, with a 14writer’s inkhorn 15by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the 16brasen altar.
And 17the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the 18cherub, whereupon 19he was, to the 20threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorna by his side;
And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and 21set a 22mark upon the foreheads 23of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst 24thereof.
¶And to 25the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after 26him through the city, and 27smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
28Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man 29upon whom is the mark; and 30begin 31at my sanctuary. Then they began at the 32ancient men which were before the 33house.
And he said unto them, 34Defile the house, and fill 35the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and 36slew in the city.
¶And it came to pass, while they were slaying 37them, and 38I was left, that I fell 39upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue 40of 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 41exceeding great, and the land is full of 42blood, and the city full of 43perverseness: 44for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.
And as for me also, 45mineb eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense 46their way upon their head.
And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, 47I have done 48as thou hast commanded me.