1 Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.

2 And, behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn at his side. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

3 And the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the house. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side;

4 and Jehovah said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.

5 To the others He said in my hearing, Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have pity.

6 Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary. So they began with the elders who were before the house.

7 Then He said to them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go forth! And they went out and killed in the city.

8 So it was, that while they were killing them, I was left alone; and I fell on my face and cried out, and said, Ah, Lord Jehovah! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel in pouring out Your fury on Jerusalem?

9 Then He said to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is filled with blood, and the city is full of perversity; for they say, Jehovah has forsaken the land; and, Jehovah does not see!

10 And as for Me also, My eye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but I will recompense their deeds upon their own head.

11 And behold, the man clothed with linen, who had the inkhorn at his side, reported back and said, I have done as You commanded me.