Eze 9 | LEB | STEP | And he called in my ears with a loud voice, ⌞saying⌟ , “They have come near, the punishers of the city, and each with his weapon of destruction in his hand.

‏ Ezekiel 9

Yahweh’s Avenging Messenger Destroys the Wicked in the City

1 And he called in my ears with a loud voice, ⌞saying⌟, ^{▼▼Literally “to say”} “They have come near, ^{▼▼Or “Come near” (imperative)} the punishers of the city, and each with his weapon of destruction in his hand. 2 And look! Six men coming from the way of ⌞the upper gate⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “the gate of the upper”} that faced ⌞northward⌟, ^{▼▼Literally “faced north + directive”} and each with his weapon for ^{▼▼Or “of”} shattering in his hand; and one man was in the midst of them, dressed in linen, and the ^{▼▼Or “his”} writing case of the scribe was at his side. And they came and stood beside the bronze altar. 3 And the glory of the God of Israel lifted itself up from upon the cherub that he was on ^{▼▼Hebrew “which he was on it”} and went to the threshold of the house, ^{▼▼That is, the temple} and he called to the man who was clothed in linen ⌞with a scribal writing case at his side⌟. ^{▼▼Literally “whom a writing case of a scribe was at his side”} 4 And Yahweh said to him, “Go through in the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem, and you must place a mark on the foreheads of the men ⌞who are groaning and lamenting⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “the men the groaning and the lamenting”} about all of the detestable things ⌞that are being done⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “the being done”} in the midst of her.” 5 And to the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city behind him and kill! Your eyes shall not take pity, and you shall not have compassion. 6 You must kill ⌞totally⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “to destruction”} old man, young man and young woman, and little children and women, but ⌞concerning⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “upon”} every man ⌞with the mark on him⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “which is on him the mark”} you must not approach; and from my sanctuary you must begin.” And they began with the old men who ⌞were before⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “were to the face of”} the house. ^{▼▼That is, the temple} 7 And he said to them, “Defile the house ^{▼▼Or “temple”} and fill the courtyards with the dead; go out! And they went out, and they killed in the city. 8 ⌞And then⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “and it was”} ⌞as they were striking⌟, ^{▼▼Literally “in their striking”} and I was left behind, I fell on my face, and I cried out, and I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! “Will you be destroying all of the remnant of Israel ⌞while you pour out your rage⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “when pouring out your rage”} on Jerusalem?” 9 And he said to me, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is ⌞exceedingly⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “with very very”} great, and the land is filled with bloodguilt, and the city is full of injustice. For they say Yahweh abandoned the land, and ⌞Yahweh does not see⌟. ^{▼▼Literally “not Yahweh is seeing} 10 And I, my eye will not take pity, and I will not have compassion; their way I will bring on their head.” 11 And look! The man clothed in linen and ⌞with a writing case at his side⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “which/whom the writing-case was at his side”} was bringing back a word, ⌞saying⌟, ^{▼▼Literally “to say”} “I have done all that you commanded me.”