¹⁷ He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians,^[a](A) who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men^(B) or young women, the elderly or the infirm.^(C) God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.^(D)

⁵ As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity^(A) or compassion.^{(B) 6} Slaughter^(C) the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children,^(D) but do not touch anyone who has the mark.^(E) Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the old men^(F) who were in front of the temple.^(G)

⁹ If ten^(A) people are left in one house, they too will die. ¹⁰ And if the relative who comes to carry the bodies out of the house to burn them^[a](B) asks anyone who might be hiding there, “Is anyone else with you?” and he says, “No,” then he will go on to say, “Hush!^(C) We must not mention the name of the Lord.”