Amos 9

1 I saw the Lord standing upon the altar; and he said, Smite the capital, that the sills may quake; and break them in pieces over the head of all of them; and their posterity will I slay with the sword: there shall not flee away from them one that fleeth, and there shall not escape from them one that is saved.

I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and he said, “Strike the tops of the pillars so that the foundations will shake. Break them in pieces on all of their heads, and I will kill the last of them with the sword. Not one of them will get away, not one of them will escape.

2 Though they were to creep down into the nether world, thence would my hand fetch them; and though they were to climb up to the heavens, thence would I bring them down; (Sheol h7585)

Though they dig into Sheol, there my hand will take them. Though they climb up to heaven, there I will bring them down. (Sheol h7585)

3 And though they were to hide themselves on the top of Carmel, thence would I search and take them out; and though they were to conceal themselves from before my eyes in the bottom of the sea, thence would I command the serpent, that he should bite them;

Though they hide on the top of Carmel, there I will search and take them. Though they are hidden from my sight in the bottom of the sea, there will I give orders to the serpent, and it will bite them.

4 And though they were to go into captivity before their enemies, thence would I command the sword, that it should slay them: and I will set my eye upon them for evil, and not for good.

Though they go into captivity, driven by their enemies before them, there will I give orders to the sword, and it will kill them. I will keep my eyes on them for harm and not for good.”

5 And the Lord Eternal of hosts it is that toucheth the earth, and she melteth away, and all that dwell thereon shall mourn; and she riseth up like a stream wholly; and she sinketh like the stream of Egypt;

The Lord Yahweh of hosts touches the land and it melts; all who live in it mourn; all of it will rise up like the River, and sink again like the river of Egypt.

6 That buildeth in the heavens his steps, and hath founded his vault over the earth; that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out over the face of the earth: The Lord is his name.

It is he who builds his steps in the heavens, and has established his vault over the earth. He calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth, Yahweh is his name.

7 Are ye not like the children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the Lord: have I not brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?

“Are you not like the people of Cush to me, people of Israel? —this is Yahweh's declaration. Did I not bring up Israel out of the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Crete, and the Arameans from Kir?

8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord Eternal are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; save only that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord.

Look, the eyes of the Lord Yahweh are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth, except that I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob —this is Yahweh's declaration.

9 For, lo, I will give the command, and I will shake about among all the nations the house of Israel, as one shaketh things in a sieve, while not the least piece falleth down upon the earth.

Look, I will give a command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations, as one shakes grain in a sieve, so that not the smallest stone will fall to the ground.

10 By the sword shall die all the sinners of my people, who say, The evil will not come near [us], nor hasten along for our sake.

All the sinners of my people will die by the sword, those who say, 'Disaster will not overtake or meet us.'

11 On that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David which is fallen; and I will close up its breaches; and its ruins will I raise up, and I will rebuild it as in days of old:

In that day I will raise up the tent of David that has fallen, and close up its breaches. I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old,

12 In order that they may take possession of the remnant of Edom, and of all the nations, which are called by my name, saith the Lord that doth this.

That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations that are called by my name —this is Yahweh's declaration—he does this.

13 Behold, days are coming, saith the Lord, when the ploughman shall come close up to the harvester, and the treader of the grapes to the one that scattereth the seed: and the mountains shall drop with sweet new wine, and all the hills shall melt away.

Look, the days will come—this is Yahweh's declaration— when the plowman will overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes will overtake him who plants seed. The mountains will drip sweet wine, and all the hills will flow with it.

14 And I will bring back the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build the wasted cities, and dwell therein; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink their wine; and they shall lay out gardens, and eat their fruit.

I will bring back from captivity my people Israel. They will build the ruined cities and inhabit them, they will plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they will make gardens and eat their fruit.

15 And I will plant them upon their own soil, and they shall not be pulled up any more out of their land which I have given unto them, saith the Lord thy God.

I will plant them upon their land, and they will never again be uprooted from the land that I have given them,” says Yahweh your God.