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¹ And he cried in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, The judgement of the city has drawn nigh; and each had the weapons of destruction in his hand. ² And, behold, six men came from the way of the high gate that looks toward the north, and each one’s axe was in his hand; and there was one man in the midst of them clothed with a long robe down to the feet, and a sapphire girdle was on his loins: and they came in and stood near the brazen altar. ³ And the glory of the God of Israel, that was upon them, went up from the cherubs to the porch of the house. ⁴ And said to him, Go through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that groan and that grieve for all the iniquities that are done in the midst of them.

⁵ And he said to the first in my hearing, Go after him into the city, and smite: and let not your eyes spare, and have no mercy. ⁶ Slay utterly old man and youth, and virgin, and infants, and women: but go ye not nigh any on whom is the mark: begin at my sanctuary. ⁷ And he said to them, Defile the house, and go out and fill the ways with dead bodies, and smite. ⁸ And it came to pass as they were smiting, that I fell upon my face, and cried out, and said, Alas, O Lord! wilt thou destroy the remnant of Israel, in pouring out thy wrath upon Jerusalem? ⁹ Then said he to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Juda is become very exceedingly great: for the land is filled with many nations, and the city is filled with iniquity and uncleanness: because they have said, The Lord has forsaken the earth, The Lord looks not upon it. ¹⁰ Therefore mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have any mercy: I have recompensed their ways upon their heads. ¹¹ And, behold, the man clothed with the long robe, and girt with the girdle about his loins, answered and said, I have done as thou didst command me.