Slay 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.
Kill everyone, old people, young people, women, children, everyone. But don't touch anyone who has the mark on them. Start with my temple first. So they started with the older men who were right there at the temple.
God's judgment was total, but those marked for protection were completely safe.
📚 Historical Context
Ezekiel was a prophet among the Jewish exiles in Babylon, conveying visions about God's judgment on Jerusalem for its widespread idolatry and moral corruption during the 6th century BC. In this specific vision, God commands angelic figures to execute a devastating purge, starting at the temple to symbolize the corruption even among religious leaders, but to spare those marked as faithful who grieved over the nation's sins. This reflects the historical reality of the Babylonian siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
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