1 He cried in my ears with a loud voice, “Draw near, you appointed to punish the city, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand!” 2 Then six men came from the direction of the upper gate facing north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand. One man among them was dressed in linen, with a scribe’s case at his waist. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar. 3 The glory of the God of Israel rose from above the cherub on which it had rested to the threshold of the house. He called to the man dressed in linen who had the scribe’s case at his waist.

4 The LORD said to him, “Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations being committed within it.” 5 To the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him and strike. Do not let your eye spare, and have no pity. 6 Kill old men, young men, virgins, little children, and women, leaving none alive. But do not approach anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were in front of the house. 7 He said to them, “Defile the house and fill the courtyards with the slain. Go out!” They went out and struck people down in the city. 8 As they were striking people down and I was left, I fell facedown and cried out, “Ah, Lord GOD! Are you destroying the entire remnant of Israel as you pour out your wrath on Jerusalem?” 9 He said to me, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great. The land is full of bloodshed, and the city is full of injustice. For they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.’ 10 So my eye too will not spare, nor will I have pity. I will bring their ways upon their own heads.” 11 Then the man dressed in linen, who had the case at his waist, reported, “I have done all that you commanded me.”