1 Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Bring near the executioners of the city, ^zeach with his destroying weapon in his hand.” 2 And behold, six men came from the direction of ^athe upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand, and with them was ^ba man clothed in linen, with a writing case at his waist. And they went in and stood beside ^cthe bronze altar.

3 Now ^dthe glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub on which it rested to ^ethe threshold of the house. And he called to ^bthe man clothed in linen, who had the writing case at his waist. 4 And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and ^fput a mark on the foreheads of the men who ^gsigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” 5 And to ^hthe others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. ⁱYour eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity. 6 ^jKill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but ^ktouch no one on whom is the mark. And ^lbegin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the house. 7 Then he said to them, ^m“Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out.” So they went out and struck in the city. 8 And while they were striking, and I was left alone, ⁿI fell upon my face, and cried, ^o“Ah, Lord God! ^pWill you destroy all the remnant of Israel ^qin the outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?”

9 Then he said to me, ^r“The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. ^sThe land is full of blood, and the city full of injustice. For ^tthey say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see.’ 10 As for me, ^umy eye will not spare, nor will I have pity; ^vI will bring their deeds upon their heads.”

11 And behold, ^wthe man clothed in linen, with the writing case at his waist, brought back word, saying, “I have done as you commanded me.”