Vision of the Angels
9 Then he shouted with a loud voice in my ears, “You who are ·chosen [appointed] to ·punish [execute judgment on] this city, come near with your ·weapon [weapon of destruction] in your hand.” 2 Then six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his ·powerful weapon [war club] in his hand. Among them was a man dressed in linen with a writing case at his side. The men went in and stood by the bronze altar [Ex. 27:1–8].
3 Then the glory of the God of Israel [C his manifest presence] went up from above the ·creatures with wings [L cherubim], where it had been, to the place in the ·Temple where the door opened [L threshold of the house]. He called to the man dressed in linen who had the writing case at his side. 4 The Lord said to the man, “Go through Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the people who groan and cry about all the ·hateful [detestable; abominable] things being done among them [Rev. 3:12; 7:3; 9:4; 14:1; 22:4].”
5 As I listened, he said to the other men, “Go through the city behind the man dressed in linen and ·kill [strike]. Don’t [L let your eye] pity anyone, and don’t ·show mercy [spare them]. 6 Kill and destroy old men, young men and ·women [virgins], little children, and older women, but don’t touch any who have the mark on them. Start at my ·Temple [sanctuary].” So they started with the ·elders [or old men] who were in front of the ·Temple [L house].
7 Then he said to the men, “·Make the Temple unclean [Defile the temple; C ritually], and fill the courtyards with ·those who have been killed [the slain]. Go out!” So the men went out and killed the people in the city. 8 While they were ·killing the people [striking them down], I was left alone. I bowed facedown on the ground and I cried out, “Oh, Lord God! Will you destroy ·everyone left alive in [the whole remnant of] Israel when you ·turn loose your anger [pour out your wrath] on Jerusalem?”
9 Then he said to me, “The sin of the ·people [L house] of Israel and Judah is very great. The land is filled with people who murder, and the city is full of ·people who are not fair [injustice; corruption]. The people say, ‘The Lord has ·left [abandoned; forsaken] the land, and the Lord does not see.’ 10 But ·I [L my eye] will have no pity, nor will I ·show mercy [spare]. I will bring their ·evil [deeds; L way] back on their heads.”
11 Then the man dressed in linen with the writing case at his side reported, “I have done just as you commanded me.”