1Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause you them that have charge over the city to draw near, every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.
2Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, with a writer`s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.
3The glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house: and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer`s inkhorn by his side.
4Yahweh said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst of it.
5To the others he said in my hearing, Go you through the city after him, and strike: don`t let your eye spare, neither have you pity;
6kill utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but don`t come near any man on whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the old men that were before the house.
7He said to them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go you forth. They went forth, and struck in the city.
