Idolaters Killed

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

³ Now ^(E)the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub on which it rested to ^(F)the threshold of the house. And he called to ^(G)the man clothed in linen, who had the writing case at his waist. ⁴ And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and ^(H)put a mark on the foreheads of the men who ^(I)sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” ⁵ And to ^(J)the others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. ^(K)Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity. ^6 (L)Kill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but ^(M)touch no one on whom is the mark. And ^(N)begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the house. ⁷ Then he said to them, ^(O)“Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out.” So they went out and struck in the city. ⁸ And while they were striking, and I was left alone, ^(P)I fell upon my face, and cried, ^(Q)“Ah, Lord God! ^(R)Will you destroy all the remnant of Israel ^(S)in the outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?”

⁹ Then he said to me, ^(T)“The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. ^(U)The land is full of blood, and the city full of injustice. For ^(V)they say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see.’ ¹⁰ As for me, ^(W)my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity; ^(X)I will bring their deeds upon their heads.”

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