Page cxliii
¶The .ix. Chapter.
1 The destruction of the citie. 4 They that shalbe saued are marked. 8 A complaynt of the prophete for the destruction of the people.
[unspec A] 1 HE cryed also with a loude voyce in mine eares, saying: Drawe neare ye(a) 1.1 visitations of the citie, euery man with a destroying wea∣pon in his hande.
2 And beholde, then came there (b) 1.2 sixe men out of the streete of the vpper gate towarde the north, and euery man a slaughter weapon in his hande: There was one amongest them that had on hym lynnen rayment, and a writers (c) 1.3 inckhorne by his syde: these went in and stoode besyde the brasen aulter.
3 And the glorie of the Lorde of Israel was gone from the Cherub whervpon it was, to the doore of the house: and he called to the man that had the lynnen rayment vpon hym, and the writers inckhorne by his syde,
4 And the Lorde sayde vnto hym, Go through the citie, euen through Hierusa∣lem, & set a marke vpon the foreheades of them that mourne, and are sory for all the abhominations that be done therin.
5 And to the other he sayd, that I might here, Go ye after hym through the citie, and smite, let your eye spare none, nei∣ther haue ye any pitie:
6 Kyll and destroy both olde men and young, maydens, children, and women: but as for all those that haue the marke vpon them, see that ye touche them not, and begyn at my sanctuarie. Then they began at the auncient men which were before the house.
7 And he sayde vnto them, Defyle ye the [unspec B] temple, fyll the courtes with the slayne, then go your way foorth. So they went out, and slue downe through the citie.
8 Nowe when they had done the slaugh∣ter, and I yet escaped, I fell downe vp∣on my face, and cryed, saying: Ah Lorde God, wylt thou then destroy all the re∣sidue of Israel, in powryng out thy wrath vpon Hierusalem?
9 Then sayde he vnto me, The wicked∣nesse of the house of Israel and Iuda is exceedyng great: so that the lande is full of * 1.4 blood, & the citie full of reuoltyng [from God] for they say, The Lorde hath forsaken the earth, and the Lorde seeth it not.
10 As touchyng me also, mine eye shall not spare them, neither wyll I haue pitie: but wyll recompence their wayes vpon their heades.
11 And beholde, the man that had the lynnen rayment vpon hym and the writers inckhorne by his syde, reported the matter, and sayde: As thou hast commaunded me, so haue I done.