1 And He crieth in mine ears--a loud voice--saying, `Drawn near have inspectors of the city, and each his destroying weapon in his hand.'
2 And lo, six men are coming from the way of the upper gate, that is facing the north, and each his slaughter-weapon in his hand, and one man in their midst is clothed with linen, and a scribe's inkhorn at his loins, and they come in, and standnear the brazen altar.
3 And the honour of the God of Israel hath gone up from off the cherub, on which it hath been, unto the threshold of the house.
4 And He calleth unto the man who is clothed with linen, who hath the scribe's inkhorn at his loins, and Jehovah saith unto him, `Pass on into the midst of the city, into the midst of Jerusalem, and thou hast made a mark on the foreheads of themen who are sighing and who are groaning for all the abominations that are done in its midst.'
5 And to the others he said in mine ears, `Pass on into the city after him, and smite; your eye doth not pity, nor do ye spare;
6 aged, young man, and virgin, and infant, and women, ye do slay--to destruction; and against any man on whom [is] the mark ye do not go nigh, and from My sanctuary ye begin.'