Yahweh’s Avenging Messenger Destroys the Wicked in the City

1 And he called in my ears with a loud voice, saying,“They have come near,the punishers of the city, and each with his weapon of destruction in his hand.

2 And look! Six men coming from the way of the upper gatethat faced northward,and each with his weapon forshattering in his hand; and one man was in the midst of them, dressed in linen, and thewriting case of the scribe was at his side. And they came and stood beside the bronze altar.

3 And the glory of the God of Israel lifted itself up from upon the cherub that he was onand went to the threshold of the house,and he called to the man who was clothed in linen with a scribal writing case at his side.

4 And Yahweh said to him, “Go through in the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem, and you must place a mark on the foreheads of the men who are groaning and lamentingabout all of the detestable things that are being donein the midst of her.”

5 And to the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city behind him and kill! Your eyes shall not take pity, and you shall not have compassion.

6 You must kill totallyold man, young man and young woman, and little children and women, but concerningevery man with the mark on himyou must not approach; and from my sanctuary you must begin.” And they began with the old men who were beforethe house.

7 And he said to them, “Defile the houseand fill the courtyards with the dead; go out! And they went out, and they killed in the city.

8 And thenas they were striking,and I was left behind, I fell on my face, and I cried out, and I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! “Will you be destroying all of the remnant of Israel while you pour out your rageon Jerusalem?”

9 And he said to me, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedinglygreat, and the land is filled with bloodguilt, and the city is full of injustice. For they say Yahweh abandoned the land, and Yahweh does not see.

10 And I, my eye will not take pity, and I will not have compassion; their way I will bring on their head.”

11 And look! The man clothed in linen and with a writing case at his sidewas bringing back a word, saying,“I have done all that you commanded me.”