1And He cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, "Let the executioners of the city draw near, even each with his destroying weapon in his hand." 2And behold, six men came from the way of the Upper Gate which faces north, and each had his slaughter weapon in his hand. And one man among them was clothed with linen, and a writer's inkhorn by his side. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

3And the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen, with the writer's inkhorn by his side. 4And the LORD said to him, "Go through in the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men who are groaning and are mourning because of all the abominations that are done in her midst." 5And He said to those in my hearing, "Go through the city after him, and slaughter. Let not your eye spare, nor have pity. 6Fully destroy old men, young men and virgins, and little children and women. But do not come near any man on whom is the mark. And begin at My sanctuary." And they began with the old men who were before the temple. 7And He said to them, "Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!" And they went out and slaughtered in the city. 8And it came to pass as they were slaying them, and I was left alone, then I fell on my face and cried, and said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel in Your pouring out of Your fury on Jerusalem?"

9And He said to me, "The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city is full of perversity. For they say, 'The LORD has forsaken the land; and, the LORD does not see. ' 10And even I, My eye shall not spare, nor will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head."

11And behold, the man clothed with linen, with the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, "I have done as You have commanded me."