1 ¶ And he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, The visitors of the city have come, even each one with his destroying weapon in his hand.

Then I heard Him call out in a loud voice, “Come near, you who punish the city, each with a destroying ax in his hand.”

2 A nd, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lies toward the north, and each man had a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen with a writer’s inkhorn by his side; and they went in and stood beside the brazen altar.

And I saw six men coming from the upper gate on the north side. Each man had his battle-ax in his hand. Among them was a certain man dressed in linen, with things for writing at his side. And the men went in and stood by the brass altar.

3 A nd the glory of the God of Israel went up from over the cherubim, upon which he had been, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn by his side;

Then the shining-greatness of the God of Israel went up from the cherub where it had been, to the door of the Lord’s house. And He called to the man dressed in linen with the things for writing at his side.

4 a nd the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry out because of all the abominations that are done in the midst of her.

The Lord said to him, “Go through the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who cry inside themselves over all the hated sins which are being done among them.”

5 ¶ And to the others he said in my hearing, Go after him through the city and smite; do not let your eye forgive, neither have mercy.

But to the others I heard Him say, “Go through the city after him, and destroy. Do not let your eye have pity. And do not let any sinner go without punishment.

6 S lay the old, the young men, and the virgins, the children and the women, but do not come near anyone upon whom is the mark; and ye must begin from my sanctuary. Then they began with the men, the elders, which were in front of the temple.

Kill and destroy old men, young men, young women, little children, and women. But do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at My holy house.” So they started with the leaders who were in front of the Lord’s house.

7 A nd he said unto them, Defile the house and fill the courts with the slain; go forth. And they went forth and slew in the city.

He said to them, “Make the house of worship unclean and fill the open spaces with the dead. Go out!” So they went out and killed the people in the city.

8 A nd it came to pass, after they had slain them, I was left, and I fell upon my face and cried out and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the remnant of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

As they were killing, I alone was left, and I fell on my face and cried out, “It is bad, O Lord God! Are You destroying all the people of Israel who are left, by pouring out Your anger on Jerusalem?”

9 T hen said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness, for they have said, The LORD has forsaken the earth, and the LORD does not see.

Then He said to me, “The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is very, very bad. The land is filled with blood, and the city is full of wrong-doing. For they say, ‘The Lord has left the land, and the Lord does not see.’

10 A nd as for me also, my eye shall not forgive, neither will I have mercy, but I will recompense their way upon their head.

But as for Me, My eye will have no pity, and I will not leave any sinner without punishment. I will bring their wrong-doing upon their own heads.”

11 A nd, behold, the man clothed with linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done according to all thou hast commanded me.

Then I saw the man dressed in linen, who had the things for writing at his side, come and say, “I have done just as You have told me.”