¶ He cried¹ also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause² them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

And, behold, six³ men came from the way of the higher⁴ gate, which lieth⁵ 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 inkhorn⁶ by his side⁷: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.

⁸And 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 mark⁹ upon the foreheads of the men that sigh¹⁰ and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

¶ And to the others he said in mine hearing¹¹, Go¹² ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:

Slay utterly¹³ old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but¹⁴ come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin¹⁵ at my sanctuary. Then they began at the¹⁶ ancient men which were before the house.

¹⁷And 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 I¹⁸ fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah¹⁹ 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 iniquity²⁰ of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land²¹ is full of²² blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath²³ forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.

¶ And as for me also, mine²⁴ eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but²⁵ I will recompense their way upon their head.

And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter²⁶, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.