New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures — With References (Rbi8, en_US, 1984)

Ezekiel

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Ezekiel, 9

1 And he proceeded to call out in my ears with a loud voice, saying: “HAVE those giving their attention to the city come near, each one with his weapon in his hand for bringing ruin!”

2 And, look! there were six men*1 coming from the direction of the upper gate that faces to the north, each one with his weapon for smashing in his hand; and there was one man*2 in among them clothed with linen, with a secretary’s inkhorn*3 at his hips, and they proceeded to come in and stand beside the copper altar.

  1. “Men.” Heb., ʼana·shimʹ, pl. of ʼish.

  2. “And there was one man.” Heb., weʼish-ʼe·chadhʹ.

  3. Or, “writing case.”

3 And as regards the glory of the God*1 of Israel, it was taken up from over the cherubs*2 over which it happened to be to the threshold of the house, and he began calling out to the man*3 that was clothed with the linen, at whose hips there was the secretary’s inkhorn.

  1. “God of.” Heb., ʼElo·hehʹ.

  2. Lit., “the cherub.” Heb., hak·keruvʹ, sing. but likely in a collective sense. This is the first occurrence of the word in Eze. See 1:22-28.

  3. “The man.” Heb., ha·ʼishʹ.

4 And Jehovah went on to say to him: “Pass through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and you must put a mark*1 on the foreheads of the men that are sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done in the midst of it.”

  1. Lit., “you must mark a mark.” The Heb. word for the noun “mark” is taw, the last letter of the Heb. alphabet, which was anciently a cross mark (×). See Job 31:35 where taw is translated “signature.”

5 And to these [others] he said in my ears: “Pass through the city after him and strike. Let not your eye feel sorry, and do not feel any compassion.

6 Old man, young man and virgin and little child and women YOU should kill off—to a ruination. But to any man upon whom there is the mark do not go near, and from my sanctuary YOU should start.” So they started with the old men*1 that were before the house.

  1. “With the old men.” Heb., ba·ʼana·shimʹ haz·zeqe·nimʹ.

7 And he said further to them: “Defile the house and fill the courtyards with the slain ones. Go forth!” And they went forth and struck in the city.

8 And it came about that, while they were striking and I was left remaining, I proceeded to fall upon my face and cry out and say: “Alas, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah! Are you bringing to ruin all the remaining ones of Israel while you are pouring out your rage upon Jerusalem?”

9 So he said to me: “The error of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with bloodshed*1 and the city is full of crookedness; for they have said, ‘Jehovah has left the land,*2 and Jehovah is not seeing.’*3

  1. Or, “deeds of blood.” Lit., “bloods.” Heb., da·mimʹ.

  2. Or, “the earth.” Heb., ha·ʼaʹrets.

  3. Or, “and there is no Jehovah seeing.” See 8:12 ftn, “Seeing us.”

10 And as for me also, my eye will not feel sorry, neither shall I show compassion. Their way I shall certainly bring upon their own head.”

11 And, look! the man*1 clothed with the linen, at whose hips there was the inkhorn,*2 was bringing back word, saying: “I have done just as you have commanded me.”

  1. “The man.” Heb., ha·ʼishʹ.

  2. Or, “writing case.”