CHAPTER 9

1 He cried also in mine ear with a loud voice, saying, Let the rulers of the city approach, Every one with his weapon of destruction in his hand.

2 And lo! six men coming from the way of the higher gate, which is towards the north, And each had his slaughter-weapon in his hand; And one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, With a writer’s inkhorn at his side: Then they went in and stood near the brazen altar.

3 Then the glory of the God of Israel ascended from the cherubim Above which it rested, to the threshold of the house, And cried to the man clothed in linen, with the inkhorn at his side;

4 Then Jehovah said to him, Pass through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, And make a sign upon the foreheads of the men who sigh And cry for all the abominations which they suffer in the midst of it.

5 But to the others he said in my hearing, Go you after, him through the city, and smite; Let not your eye spare, and do not pity:

6 Old and young, girl, boy, and woman slay to the death; Yet approach not any who bears the sign, And begin from my sanctuary. Then they began at the elders who were in front of the house.

7 And he said to them, Pollute the house, and fill the altars with the slain: Go you forth. And they went forth, and made a slaughter in the city.

8 And it happened while they were slaying that I was left: Then I fell upon my face, and cried out and said, Aha! Lord Jehovah, wilt you slay all the relics of Israel By pouring forth your anger upon Jerusalem?

9 Then he said to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judea Is great beyond measure, and the land is full of blood, And the city is full of perversity: because they said, Jehovah has deserted the land: Jehovah regardeth it not.

10 As for me also, mine eye shall not spare them, I will not pity them their ways will I recompense on their heads.

11 And lo! the man clad in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, Returned and made his report., saying, I have done as you did command me.