Vision of Slaughter in Jerusalem

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.” 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) with writing equipment at his side. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.

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 with the writing equipment at his side. “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.”

He spoke as I listened to the others, “Pass through the city after him and start killing; do not show pity or spare them!(F) Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, as well as the older women and little children,(G) but do not come near anyone who has the mark.(H) Now begin at My sanctuary.”(I) So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple. 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.

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?”

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 actions down on their own heads.”(P) 11 Then the man clothed in linen with the writing equipment at his side reported back, “I have done as You commanded me.”

He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.

And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;

And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:

Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not.

10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.

11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.