1Then He thundered with a loud voice, “Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, every man with his weapon in his hand.” 2And I saw six men come from the direction of the upper gate, which faces northward, and each man with a weapon in his hand. And with them was One Man, clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side; and they came in, and stood beside the bronze altar. 3And the glory of the God of Israel arose from between the cherubim, upon which He had rested, and moved to the threshold of the Temple. And He called to the Man clothed with linen, with the writer's inkhorn by His side. 4And the LORD said to Him, “Go throughout the city, through the center of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that grieve and lament over all the abominations that are done in it.” 5And then I heard the LORD say to the others, “Go, follow Him through the city, and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor show pity. 6Slaughter them all, old and young, mothers and children; but do not come near or touch anyone who has the mark. Begin right here at My Temple.” So they began with the elders who were in front of the Temple. 7And He said to them, “Defile the Temple, and fill its courts with the slain. Go!” And so, they went forth, killing throughout the city.

8And while they were slaughtering them, and I was left alone, I fell facedown, and cried, “Ah LORD God! Will You destroy the entire remnant of Israel in this outpouring of Your fury upon Jerusalem?” 9Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of innocent bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see.’ 10And so I will not look upon them with pity, nor shall My eye spare, but I will fully repay them for all that they have done.” 11And then the Man clothed with linen, Who had the inkhorn by His side, reported on the matter, saying, “I have done as You have commanded Me.”