He cried also with a loud voice in mine ears, saying, "Come here, ye rulers of the city; every man with his weaponed hand to the slaughter."

Then came there six men out of the street of the upper port toward the north, and every man a weapon in his hand to the slaughter. There was one amongst them, that had on him a linen raiment, and a writer's inkhorn by his side. These went in, and stood beside the brazen altar:

for the glory of God was gone away from the Cherub, and was come down to the threshold of the house. And he called the man that had the linen raiment upon him, and the writer's inkhorn by his side,

and the LORD said unto him, "Go thy way through the city of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of them that mourn and are sorry for all the abominations that be done therein."

And to the other, he said that I might hear, "Go ye after him through the city: slay, oversee none, spare none,

kill and destroy both old man and young, maidens, children and wives. But as for those, that have the mark upon them: see that ye touch them not. And begin at my Sanctuary." Then they began at the elders, which were in the temple,

for he had said unto them, "When ye have defiled the temple, and filled the court with the slain, then go your way forth." So they went out, and slew down through the city.

Now when they had done the slaughter, and I yet escaped: I fell down upon my face, and cried saying, "O LORD, wilt thou then destroy all the residue of Israel, in thy sore displeasure, that thou hast poured upon Jerusalem?"

Then said he unto me, "The wickedness of the house of Israel and Judah is very great: so that the land is full of blood, and the city full of unfaithfulness. For they say, 'Tush, the LORD regardeth not the earth, he seeth us not.'

Therefore will I upon them; mine eye shall not oversee them, neither will I spare them, but will recompense their wickedness upon their heads."

And behold, the man that had the linen raiment upon him, and the writer's inkhorn by his side, told all the matter how it happened, and said, "LORD, as thou hast commanded me, so have I done."