Chapter 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 , Yahweh 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 — Yahweh is his name .
7 Are you not like the children of the Ethiopians to me , children of Israel ?" says Yahweh . "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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh .
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 Yahweh who does this .
13 " Behold , the days come ," says Yahweh , " 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 Yahweh your God .