1
And He called in my ears with a great voice, saying: “Draw near, you who are appointed over the city, each ish with his weapon of destruction in his hand.”
2
And see, six ish came from the way of the upper gate, which faces north, each ish with his shattering weapon in his hand. And one ish among them was clothed in linen, with a scribe’s inkhorn at his waist. And they came and stood beside the bronze altar.
3
And the Glory of the Elohim of Yisra’el went up from upon the keruv, over which it had been, to the threshold of the House. And He called to the ish clothed in linen, who had the scribe’s inkhorn at his waist.
4
And Yahuah said to him: “Pass through the midst of the city, through the midst of Yerushalayim, and place a mark upon the foreheads of the ish who sigh and groan over all the abominations being done in its midst.”
5
And to the others He said in my hearing: “Pass through the city after him and strike. Do not let your eye spare, and do not have compassion.
6
Old man, young man, virgin, little child, and women—you shall put to death to destruction. But do not come near any ish upon whom is the mark. And begin from My Sanctuary.” And they began with the elders who were before the House.
7
And He said to them: “Defile the House, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out.” And they went out and struck in the city.
8
And it came to pass, while they were striking and I remained, that I fell upon my face and cried out and said: “Ah, Adonai Yahuah! Will You destroy all the remnant of Yisra’el in Your pouring out of Your wrath upon Yerushalayim?”
9
And He said to me: “The crookedness of the House of Yisra’el and Yehudah is exceedingly, exceedingly great. And the land is filled with blood, and the city is filled with perversion. For they say: ‘Yahuah has forsaken the land, and Yahuah does not see.’
10
And as for Me, My eye shall not spare, and I will not have compassion. Their way I will place upon their own head.”
11
And see, the ish clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn at his waist, returned word, saying: “I have done according to all that You commanded me.”