(9:1-2) God screams in Ezekiel's ears, telling him to round up the six angels ("men") that are going to do God's dirty work.
(9:1) "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."
(9:2) " And, behold, six men came ... and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand."
9:1He 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.
9:2And, 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.
9:3
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;
9:4And 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.
(9:4-11)
God sends a "man clothed with
linen" to mark the foreheads of the men who will be saved. Apparently only
men are considered good enough to keep, the others (unmarked men,
"maids", and little children) are to be slaughtered. God says
he'll "fill the courts with the slain" and will have pity on no one. Is God merciful?
(9:4) "And the LORD said unto him, Go through ... Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the
foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations."
(9:5) "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."
(9:6) "Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women."
(9:7) "Fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city."
(9:10) "Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity."
(9:11) "The man clothed with linen ... reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me."
9:5
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:
9:6Slay 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.
9:7
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.
9:8
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?
9:9
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.
9:10
And as for me also, mine
eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense
their way upon their head.
9:11
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.
