5, 6. What may we conclude about those who were marked? (See opening picture.)

⁵ What was the man with the inkhorn to do? He received a weighty assignment from Jehovah himself: “Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who are sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done in the city.” Perhaps in that instant, Ezekiel thought back to the faithful Israelite parents who had put a blood-mark on the upper part of their doorway and on their doorposts as a sign that their firstborn children were to be saved from destruction. (Ex. 12:7, 22, 23) In Ezekiel’s vision, would the mark put on the forehead by the man with the inkhorn serve a similar purpose​—as a sign that the one bearing it should be spared from Jerusalem’s destruction?

⁶ The answer becomes clear when we consider the basis for the mark. It was to be put on the foreheads of those who were “sighing and groaning” over the detestable things that were “being done in the city.” What may we thus conclude about those marked? For one thing, they were deeply grieved at heart not only over the idolatry carried out at the temple but also over all the violence, immorality, and corruption that filled Jerusalem. (Ezek. 22:9-12) In addition, they likely did not hide their feelings. The words and actions of such righthearted ones no doubt demonstrated their disgust at what was going on in the land and their devotion to pure worship. In his mercy, Jehovah would spare these deserving ones.

Was the destruction indiscriminate? No. Ezekiel’s vision had foretold that some would not be wiped out by the Babylonians.​—Gen. 18:22-33; 2 Pet. 2:9.

¹⁰ A number of faithful individuals survived, including the Rechabites, Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch, his secretary. (Jer. 35:1-19; 39:15-18; 45:1-5) From Ezekiel’s vision, we may conclude that such ones must have been “sighing and groaning over all the detestable things” being done in Jerusalem. (Ezek. 9:4) Before the destruction, they undoubtedly showed their heartfelt rejection of wickedness and their devotion to pure worship, and they thus put themselves in line to be spared.

11. Who were represented by the six men with the smashing weapons and the man with the secretary’s inkhorn?

¹¹ Were those faithful ones literally marked for survival? There is no record that anyone​—either Ezekiel or any other prophet—​went through Jerusalem and put an actual mark on the foreheads of faithful ones. Evidently, then, Ezekiel’s prophetic vision reveals what was happening in the heavenly realm and what was therefore invisible to human eyes. The man with the secretary’s inkhorn and the six men with the weapons for smashing were visionary representations of Jehovah’s faithful spirit creatures, who are always ready to carry out his will. (Ps. 103:20, 21) Jehovah no doubt used his angels to direct the execution of judgment on unfaithful Jerusalem. As if putting a mark on the foreheads of those who were to be spared, the angels made sure that the judgment would be selective, not an indiscriminate slaughter.