Yahweh’s Avenging Messenger Destroys the Wicked in the City

¹ And he called in my ears with a loud voice, ⌞saying⌟,¹ “They have come near,² the punishers of the city, and each with his weapon of destruction in his hand.

1. Literally “to say”
2. Or “Come near” (imperative)

² And look! Six men coming from the way of ⌞the upper gate⌟¹ that faced ⌞northward⌟,² and each with his weapon for³ shattering in his hand; and one man was in the midst of them, dressed in linen, and the⁴ writing case of the scribe was at his side. And they came and stood beside the bronze altar.

1. Literally “the gate of the upper”
2. Literally “faced north + directive”
3. Or “of”
4. Or “his”

³ And the glory of the God of Israel lifted itself up from upon the cherub that he was on¹ and went to the threshold of the house,² and he called to the man who was clothed in linen ⌞with a scribal writing case at his side⌟.³

1. Hebrew “which he was on it”
2. That is, the temple
3. Literally “whom a writing case of a scribe was at his side”

⁴ And Yahweh said to him, “Go through in the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem, and you must place a mark on the foreheads of the men ⌞who are groaning and lamenting⌟¹ about all of the detestable things ⌞that are being done⌟² in the midst of her.”

1. Literally “the men the groaning and the lamenting”
2. Literally “the being done”

⁵ And to the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city behind him and kill! Your eyes shall not take pity, and you shall not have compassion.

⁶ You must kill ⌞totally⌟¹ old man, young man and young woman, and little children and women, but ⌞concerning⌟² every man ⌞with the mark on him⌟³ you must not approach; and from my sanctuary you must begin.” And they began with the old men who ⌞were before⌟⁴ the house.⁵

1. Literally “to destruction”
2. Literally “upon”
3. Literally “which is on him the mark”
4. Literally “were to the face of”
5. That is, the temple

⁷ And he said to them, “Defile the house¹ and fill the courtyards with the dead; go out! And they went out, and they killed in the city.

1. Or “temple”

⁸ ⌞And then⌟¹ ⌞as they were striking⌟,² and I was left behind, I fell on my face, and I cried out, and I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! “Will you be destroying all of the remnant of Israel ⌞while you pour out your rage⌟³ on Jerusalem?”

1. Literally “and it was”
2. Literally “in their striking”
3. Literally “when pouring out your rage”

⁹ And he said to me, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is ⌞exceedingly⌟¹ great, and the land is filled with bloodguilt, and the city is full of injustice. For they say Yahweh abandoned the land, and ⌞Yahweh does not see⌟.²

1. Literally “with very very”
2. Literally “not Yahweh is seeing

¹⁰ And I, my eye will not take pity, and I will not have compassion; their way I will bring on their head.”

¹¹ And look! The man clothed in linen and ⌞with a writing case at his side⌟¹ was bringing back a word, ⌞saying⌟,² “I have done all that you commanded me.”

1. Literally “which/whom the writing-case was at his side”
2. Literally “to say”