9
1 I
saw the Lord
standing beside
the altar, and
he said, “Strike
the tops of
the pillars, that
the thresholds may
shake. Break them
in pieces on the
head of all
of them. I
will kill the last
of them with
the sword. Not
one of them
will flee away.
Not one of
them will escape.
2 Though they
dig into
Sheol,
there my hand
will take them;
and though they
climb up to
heaven, there I
will bring them
down.
3 Though they
hide themselves in
the top of
Carmel, I will
search and take
them out from
there; and though
they be hidden
from my sight
in the bottom
of the sea,
there I will
command the
serpent, and it
will bite them.
4 Though they
go into captivity
before their enemies,
there I will
command the sword,
and it will
kill them. I
will set my
eyes on them
for evil, and
not for good.
5 For
the Lord, the
GOD
of Armies, is
he who touches
the land and it
melts, and all
who dwell in
it will mourn; and
it will rise
up wholly like
the River, and
will sink again,
like the River
of Egypt.
6 It
is he who
builds his rooms
in the heavens,
and has founded
his vault on the
earth; he who
calls for the
waters of the
sea, and pours
them out on
the surface of
the earth—the
LORD is his
name.
7 Are
you not like
the children of
the Ethiopians to
me, children of
Israel?” says the
LORD. “Haven’t I
brought up Israel
out of the land
of Egypt, and
the Philistines
from Caphtor, and
the Syrians from
Kir?
8 Behold,
the eyes of
the Lord GOD
are on the
sinful kingdom,
and I will
destroy it from
off the surface
of the earth,
except that I
will not utterly
destroy the house
of Jacob,” says
the LORD.
9 “For
behold, I will
command, and I
will sift the
house of Israel
among all the
nations as grain
is sifted in
a sieve, yet
not the least
kernel will fall
on the earth.
10 All
the sinners of
my people will
die by the
sword, who say, ‘Evil
won’t overtake nor
meet us.’
11 In
that day I
will raise up
the tent of David
who is fallen
and close up its
breaches, and I
will raise up
its ruins, and
I will build
it as in
the days of
old,
12 that
they may possess
the remnant of Edom
and all the
nations who are
called by my
name,” says the
LORD who does
this.
13 “Behold,
the days come,”
says the LORD,
“that the plowman
shall overtake the
reaper,
and the one
treading grapes
him who sows
seed;
and sweet wine
will drip from
the mountains,
and flow from the
hills.
14 I
will bring my
people Israel back
from captivity,
and they will
rebuild the ruined
cities, and
inhabit them;
and they will
plant vineyards,
and drink wine
from them.
They shall also
make gardens,
and eat their
fruit.
15 I
will plant them
on their land,
and they will
no more be
plucked up out
of their land
which I have
given them,”
says the LORD
your God.