1Then he shouted loudly in my ears, "Bring those who are in charge of the city near, each with his destructive weapon in his hand."
2Then six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a slaughter weapon in his hand. One man among them was dressed in linen and had a writer's inkhorn at his side. They entered and stood beside the bronze altar.
3The glory of the God of Israel rose from the winged creature where it had been, moving to the entrance of the temple. Then he called to the man dressed in linen who had the writer's inkhorn at his side.
4Yahweh said to him, "Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem. Put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the detestable things that are being done in it."
5And to the others, he said in my hearing, "Go through the city after him and strike. Do not show pity or spare anyone.
6Completely kill old men, young men, virgins, little children, and women. But do not go near anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary." So they began with the old men who were in front of the temple.
7He said to them, "Defile the temple and fill its courtyards with the slain. Go out!" They went out and struck people in the city.
8While they were killing and I was left alone, I fell on my face and cried out, "Oh Lord Yahweh! Will you destroy all the remaining people of Israel as you pour out your wrath on Jerusalem?"
9Then he said to me, “The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is extremely great. The land is filled with murder, and the city is full of twisted justice. This is because they say, ‘Yahweh has abandoned the land, and Yahweh doesn’t see.’
10As for me, I will not show any mercy or pity. Instead, I will make them suffer the consequences of their actions.”
11Then the man dressed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported, “I have done exactly as you commanded me.”