The Vision of Slaughter

1Then He cried out in my [a]presence with a loud voice, saying, “Come forward, you [b]executioners of the city, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand.” 2And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his smashing weapon in his hand; and among them was one man clothed in linen with a scribe’s kit at his waist. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

3Then the glory of the God of Israel ascended from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the [c]temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose waist was the scribe’s kit. 4And the LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and make a mark on the foreheads of the people who groan and sigh over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” 5But to the others He said in my [d]presence, “Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare. 6[e]Utterly kill old men, young men, female virgins, little children, and women, but do not touch any person on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.” So they started with the [f]elders who were before the [g]temple. 7He also said to them, “Defile the [h]temple and fill the courtyards with the dead. Go out!” So they went out and struck and killed the people in the city. 8And as they were striking the people and I alone was left, I fell on my face and cried out, [i]saying, “Oh, Lord [j]GOD! Are You going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel [k]by pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?”

9Then He said to me, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with blood, and the city is full of perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has abandoned the land, and the LORD does not see!’ 10But as for Me, My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but I will bring their conduct upon their heads.”

11Then behold, the man clothed in linen, at whose waist was the scribe’s kit, [l]reported, saying, “I have done just as You have commanded me.”