The Lord Judges Those Who Worship Other Gods
1Then I heard the Lord call out in a loud voice. He said, “Bring here those who are appointed to bring my judgment on the city. Make sure each of them has a weapon in his hand.” 2I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate. It faces north. Each of them had a deadly weapon in his hand. A man wearing linen clothes came along with them. He was carrying a writing kit at his side. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar.
3The glory of the God of Israel had been above the cherubim. It moved from there to the doorway of the temple. Then the Lord called to the man who was dressed in linen clothes. He had the writing kit. 4The Lord said to him, “Go all through Jerusalem. Look for those who are sad and sorry about all the things being done there. I hate those things. Put a mark on the foreheads of those people.”
5I heard him speak to the six men. He said, “Follow him through the city. Do not show any pity or concern. 6Kill the old men and women, the young men and women, and the children. But do not touch anyone who has the mark. Start at my temple.” So they began with the old men who were in front of the temple.
7Then he said to the men, “Make the temple ‘unclean.’ Fill the courtyards with dead bodies. Go!” So they went out and started killing people all through the city. 8While they were doing it, I was left alone. I fell with my face toward the ground. I cried out, “Lord and King, are you going to destroy all the Israelites who are still left alive? Will you pour out your great anger on all those who remain in Jerusalem?”
9He answered me, “The sin of Israel and Judah is very great. The land is full of murderers. Its people are not being fair to one another anywhere in Jerusalem. They say, ‘The Lord has deserted the land. He doesn’t see us.’ 10So I will not spare them or feel sorry for them. Anything that happens to them will be their own fault.”
11Then the man wearing linen clothes returned. He had the writing kit. He reported, “I’ve done what you commanded.”
A morte dos idólatras
1Então, com grande voz, trovejou aos meus ouvidos, dizendo: “Que se cheguem os responsáveis da cidade, cada um com as suas armas na mão!” 2Responderam à chamada seis homens, vindos da porta mais ao norte, cada um com a sua arma; um deles, vestido de linho, trazia um tinteiro de escrivão à cintura. Entraram todos no templo e ficaram de pé junto do altar de bronze.
3E a glória do Deus de Israel levantou-se do querubim sobre o qual estava e pôs-se à entrada do templo. O Senhor disse ao que trazia o tinteiro de escrivão: 4“Passa pelas ruas de Jerusalém e põe um sinal nas testas daqueles que choram e gemem por causa de todos os pecados que veem à sua volta.”
5Ouvi o Senhor dizer para os outros: “Sigam através da cidade e matem todos os que não trazem o sinal nas frontes! Não os poupem, não tenham piedade deles! 6Matem-nos a todos, velhos e novos, moças, mulheres e crianças, mas não toquem em ninguém que traga o sinal! Comecem já por aqui, no templo!” E começaram por matar os 70 anciãos.
7E continuou dizendo: “Profanem o templo! Encham os pátios com os corpos dos que mataram! Comecem!” E foram através da cidade, fazendo como lhes tinha sido dito. 8Enquanto cumpriam as ordens, fiquei sozinho. Inclinei-me então a chorar e exclamei: “Ó Senhor Deus! Vais enfurecer-te contra Jerusalém, destruindo os que ficaram de Israel?”
9Mas disse-me: “Os pecados do povo de Israel e de Judá são muito grandes; toda a terra está cheia de assassínios e de injustiça, porque afirmam: ‘O Senhor não vê nada, já se desinteressou da terra!’ 10Por isso, não os pouparei nem terei piedade deles. Castigá-los-ei plenamente por tudo quanto têm praticado.”
11Nesse momento, o homem vestido de linho, que trazia o tinteiro, regressou e disse: “Terminei a missão que me deste!”
