[1] Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause you them that
have charge over the city to draw near, every man with his destroying
weapon in his hand. [2] Behold, six men came from the way of the upper
gate, which lies toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in
his hand; and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, with a
writer`s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the brazen
altar. [3] The glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub,
whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house: and he called to the man
clothed in linen, who had the writer`s inkhorn by his side. [4] Yahweh said
to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem,
and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all
the abominations that are done in the midst of it. [5] To the others he
said in my hearing, Go you through the city after him, and strike: don`t
let your eye spare, neither have you pity; [6] kill utterly the old man,
the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but don`t come
near any man on whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary. Then they
began at the old men that were before the house. [7] He said to them,
Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go you forth. They
went forth, and struck in the city. [8] It happened, while they were
smiting, and I was left, that I fell on my face, and cried, and said, Ah
Lord Yahweh! will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out
of your wrath on Jerusalem? [9] Then said he to 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 wrestling [of judgment]: for they say, Yahweh
has forsaken the land, and Yahweh doesn`t see. [10] As for me also, my eye
shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on
their head. [11] Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by
his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as you have commanded
me.
