Vision of Slaughter in Jerusalem

9 Then he called loudly in my hearing, “Come near, executioners of the city, each of you with a destructive weapon in his hand.” ² And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate,^(A) which faces north, each with a war club in his hand. There was another man among them, clothed in linen,^(B) carrying writing equipment. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.

³ Then the glory of the God of Israel^(C) rose from above the cherub where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. He called to the man clothed in linen and carrying writing equipment. ⁴ “Pass throughout the city of Jerusalem,” the Lord said to him, “and put a mark on the foreheads^(D) of the men who sigh and groan^(E) over all the detestable practices committed in it.”

⁵ He spoke to the others in my hearing: “Pass through the city after him and start killing; do not show pity or spare them!^{(F) 6} Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, as well as the children and older women,^(G) but do not come near anyone who has the mark.^(H) Begin at my sanctuary.”^(I) So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple. ⁷ Then he said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain.^(J) Go!” So they went out killing people in the city.

⁸ While they were killing, I was left alone. And I fell facedown and cried out, “Oh, Lord God!^(K) Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel when you pour out your wrath on Jerusalem?”

⁹ He answered me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of bloodshed,^(L) and the city full of perversity. For they say, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land;^(M) he does not see.’^{(N) 10} But as for me, I will not show pity or spare them.^(O) I will bring their conduct down on their own heads.”^(P)

¹¹ Then the man clothed in linen and carrying writing equipment reported back, “I have done all that you commanded me.”