1 Then He called to me directly with a loud voice, “Come near, executioners of the city, each of you with a destructive weapon in his hand.”
2 And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with a war club in his hand. There was another man among them, clothed in linen, with writing equipment at his side. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.
3 Then the glory of the God of Israel rose from above the cherub where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. He called to the man clothed in linen with the writing equipment at his side.
4 “Pass throughout the city of Jerusalem,” the Lord said to him, “and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the detestable practices committed in it.”
5 He spoke as I listened to the others, “Pass through the city after him and start killing; do not show pity or spare them!
6 Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, as well as the older women and little children, but do not come near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple.
7 Then He said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go! ” So they went out killing people in the city.