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The Vision of Slaughter

¹ Then He cried out in my hearing with a loud ^(C1)voice saying, "Draw near, ^(F1)O executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand."² Behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was ^(C1)a certain man clothed in linen with a ^(F1)writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

³ Then the ^(C1)glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the ^(F1)temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case.⁴ The LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a ^(C1)mark on the foreheads of the men who ^(C2)sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst."⁵ But to the others He said in my hearing, "Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare.⁶ "^(F1)Utterly ^(C1)slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not ^(C2)touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall ^(C3)start from My sanctuary." So they started with the ^(F2)elders who were before the ^(F3)temple.⁷ And He said to them, "^(C1)Defile the ^(F1)temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!" Thus they went out and struck down the people in the city.⁸ As they were striking the people and I alone was left, I ^(C1)fell on my face and cried out ^(F1)saying, "^(C2)Alas, Lord ^(F2)GOD! Are You destroying the whole remnant of Israel ^(F3)by pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?"

⁹ Then He said to me, "The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is ^(C1)filled with blood and the city is ^(C2)full of perversion; for ^(C3)they say, 'The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!'¹⁰ "But as for Me, ^(C1)My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but ^(C2)I will bring their conduct upon their heads."

¹¹ Then behold, the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the ^(F1)writing case ^(F2)reported, saying, "I have done just as You have commanded me."