1 And he called in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Draw near, you appointed over the city for judgment, each man with his instrument {keli: destructive tool} of destruction {mashcheto: punitive destruction} in his hand.”
2 And behold, six men were coming from the way of the upper gate {sha’ar ha-elyon: elevated entrance} that faces north, each holding a weapon-for-crushing in his hand; and one among them was clothed in linen {badim: fine woven cloth} with the scribe’s inkhorn at his waist. They entered and stood beside the bronze altar.
3 And the glory of the God of Israel {Elohei Yisrael, Manifested Presence} had risen from upon the cherub to the threshold {miftan: entrance passage} of the house. And He called to the man clothed in linen who had the scribe’s case at his loins.
4 And the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge} said to him, “Pass through the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh {ne'enakhim: mourn deeply} and groan over all the abominations that are being done within it.”
5 And to the others He {YHWH, Sovereign Judge} said in my ears, “Pass through the city after him and strike. Let not your eyes spare {tachos: withhold killing}, and do not have compassion.”
6 Kill the old man, the young man, the virgin, the child, and the women for destruction; but do not come near any man who has the mark {tav: sign of protection}. From My {YHWH, Sovereign Judge} sanctuary you shall begin, and they began with the elders who were before the house.
7 And he said to them, “Defile the house {bayit: temple sanctuary} and fill the courtyards with the slain {chalalim: corpses}; go out.” And they went out and struck in the city.
8 And it happened, as they were striking them and I was left, that I fell upon my face and cried out and said, “Ah, Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Judge}! Are You destroying all the remnant {she’erit: survivors} of Israel in Your pouring out of Your wrath upon Jerusalem?”
9 And He said to me, “The iniquity {avon: moral failure} of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is filled with bloodshed, and the city is full of distortion; for they have said, ‘The LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge} has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see.’”
10 And I {YHWH, Divine Judge} also will not spare My eye {takhos: withhold mercy}, nor will I have pity; I will bring their way {darkam: moral conduct} upon their head.
11 And behold, the man clothed in linen garments {badim: fine linen} who carried the inkhorn {keset: writing-case} at his loins returned and reported, "I have done just as you commanded me."