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Yahweh's Avenging Messenger Destroys the Wicked in the City

¹ And he called in my ears with a loud voice, saying,^[a] "They have come near,^[b] the punishers of the city, and each with his weapon of destruction in his hand. ² And look! Six men coming from the way of the upper gate^[c] that faced northward,^[d] and each with his weapon for^[e] shattering in his hand; and one man was in the midst of them, dressed in linen, and the^[f] writing case of the scribe was at his side. And they came and stood beside the bronze altar. ³ And the glory of the God of Israel lifted itself up from upon the cherub that he was on^[g] and went to the threshold of the house,^[h] and he called to the man who was clothed in linen with a scribal writing case at his side.^{[i] 4} And Yahweh said to him, "Go through in the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem, and you must place a mark on the foreheads of the men who are groaning and lamenting^[j] about all of the detestable things that are being done^[k] in the midst of her." ⁵ And to the others he said in my hearing, "Go through the city behind him and kill! Your eyes shall not take pity, and you shall not have compassion. ⁶ You must kill totally^[l] old man, young man and young woman, and little children and women, but concerning^[m] every man with the mark on him^[n] you must not approach; and from my sanctuary you must begin." And they began with the old men who were before^[o] the house.^{[p] 7} And he said to them, "Defile the house^[q] and fill the courtyards with the dead; go out! And they went out, and they killed in the city. ⁸ And then^[r] as they were striking,^[s] and I was left behind, I fell on my face, and I cried out, and I said, "Ah, Lord Yahweh! "Will you be destroying all of the remnant of Israel while you pour out your rage^[t] on Jerusalem?" ⁹ And he said to me, "The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly^[u] great, and the land is filled with bloodguilt, and the city is full of injustice. For they say Yahweh abandoned the land, and Yahweh does not see.^{[v] 10} And I, my eye will not take pity, and I will not have compassion; their way I will bring on their head." ¹¹ And look! The man clothed in linen and with a writing case at his side^[w] was bringing back a word, saying,^[x] "I have done all that you commanded me."