1 Então o Senhor disse em alta voz: "Tragam os homens escolhidos para castigar a cidade! Digam-lhes que venham com suas armas de destruição!". 2 Logo surgiram seis homens, vindos da porta superior, voltada para o norte, e cada um tinha na mão uma arma mortal. Estava com eles um homem vestido de linho, que levava na cintura um estojo com material de escrever. Todos entraram no pátio do templo e ficaram junto ao altar de bronze.

3 Então a glória do Deus de Israel se levantou do meio dos querubins, onde havia estado, e se moveu para a entrada do templo. O Senhor chamou o homem vestido de linho que carregava o estojo com material de escrever 4 e lhe disse: "Ande pelas ruas de Jerusalém e ponha um sinal na testa de todos que choram e gemem por causa dos pecados detestáveis cometidos em sua cidade".

5 Em seguida, ouvi o Senhor dizer aos outros homens: "Sigam-no pela cidade e matem todos cuja testa não estiver marcada. Não mostrem compaixão nem tenham piedade! 6 Matem todos: idosos e jovens, meninas, mulheres e crianças pequenas. Mas não toquem naqueles que tiverem o sinal. Comecem aqui mesmo, no templo!". E eles começaram pelos setenta líderes, na entrada do templo.

7 "Profanem o templo!", o Senhor ordenou. "Encham seus pátios de cadáveres. Vão!" Então eles saíram e começaram a matança em toda a cidade.

8 Enquanto isso, fiquei sozinho. Prostrei-me com o rosto no chão e clamei: "Ó Senhor Soberano! Acaso tua fúria contra Jerusalém exterminará todos que restam em Israel?".

9 Então ele me disse: "Os pecados do povo de Israel e de Judá são muito, muito grandes. Toda a terra se encheu de homicídio; a cidade está repleta de injustiça. Eles dizem: ‘O Senhor não nos vê; o Senhor abandonou nossa terra!’. 10 Por isso não os pouparei nem terei piedade deles. Eu lhes darei o que merecem por tudo que fizeram".

11 Então o homem vestido de linho, que carregava o estojo com material de escrever, voltou para relatar: "Fiz o que ordenaste".

1 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. 2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.*9.2 which lieth: Heb. which is turned*9.2 a slaughter…: Heb. a weapon of his breaking in pieces*9.2 by his…: Heb. upon his loins 3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side; 4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.*9.4 set a mark: Heb. mark a mark

5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:*9.5 mine hearing: Heb. mine ears 6 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.*9.6 utterly: Heb. to destruction 7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? 9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.*9.9 full of blood: Heb. filled with, etc*9.9 perverseness: or, wresting of judgment 10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head. 11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.*9.11 reported…: Heb. returned the word