He cried also in my 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 lies 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 brazen 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 to him, Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the middle thereof.
And to the others he said in my hearing, Go you after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have you pity:
Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man on whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
And he said to them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go you 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 on my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your fury on Jerusalem?
Then said he to 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 has forsaken the earth, and the LORD sees not.
And as for me also, my eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way on their head.
And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as you have commanded me.
Canonical academic citations for Ezekiel 9 (AKJV) — copy in your preferred format.
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God summons six executioners with weapons and a man in linen with an inkhorn to mark foreheads of those sighing over abominations for sparing; the executioners are to slay all others without pity, starting from the sanctuary (elders first). Ezekiel protests the slaughter; God affirms it's due to iniquity and violence, with no mercy; the linen man reports the marking done, as God's glory begins departing from the temple threshold.
Symbolic actions and visions offering judgment and future hope.
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