Idolaters Killed

¹Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Bring near the executioners of the city, zeach with his destroying weapon in his hand.” ²And behold, six men came from the direction of athe upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand, and with them was ba man clothed in linen, with a writing case at his waist. And they went in and stood beside cthe bronze altar.

³Now dthe glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub on which it rested to ethe threshold of the house. And he called to bthe man clothed in linen, who had the writing case at his waist. ⁴And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and fput a mark on the foreheads of the men who gsigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” ⁵And to hthe others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. iYour eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity. ⁶jKill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but ktouch no one on whom is the mark. And lbegin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the house. ⁷Then he said to them, m“Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out.” So they went out and struck in the city. ⁸And while they were striking, and I was left alone, nI fell upon my face, and cried, o“Ah, Lord God! pWill you destroy all the remnant of Israel qin the outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?”

⁹Then he said to me, r“The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. sThe land is full of blood, and the city full of injustice. For tthey say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see.’ ¹⁰As for me, umy eye will not spare, nor will I have pity; vI will bring their deeds upon their heads.”

¹¹And behold, wthe man clothed in linen, with the writing case at his waist, brought back word, saying, “I have done as you commanded me.”