Vision of Slaughter in Jerusalem

9 Then He called to me directly with a loud voice, “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, n which faces north, each with a war club in his hand. There was another man among them, clothed in linen, o with writing equipment at his side. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.

3 Then the glory of the God of Israel p rose from above the * cherub where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. He called to the man clothed in linen with the writing equipment at his side. 4 “Pass throughout the city of Jerusalem,” the Lord said to him, “and put a mark on the foreheads q of the men who sigh and groan r over all the detestable practices committed in it.”

5 He spoke as I listened to the others, “Pass through the city after him and start killing; do not show pity or spare them! s 6 Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, as well as the older women and little children, t but do not come near anyone who has the mark. u Now begin at My sanctuary.” v 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. w 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! x 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, y and the city full of perversity. For they say, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land; z He does not see.’ a 10 But as for Me, I will not show pity or spare them. b I will bring their actions down on their own heads.” c 11 Then the man clothed in linen with the writing equipment at his side reported back, “I have done as You commanded me.”