Amos 9

1I saw the Lord standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.footnote afootnote b

2Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:

3And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:

4And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

5And the Lord GOD of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

6It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.footnote cfootnote d

7Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the LORD. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?

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

9For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.footnote efootnote f

10All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.

11In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:footnote g

12That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.footnote h

13Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.footnote ifootnote j

14And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

15And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

The Destruction of Israel

1I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said:“Strike the tops of the pillarsso that the thresholds shake.Topple them on the heads of all the people,and I will kill the rest with the sword.None of those who flee will get away;none of the fugitives will escape. 2Though they dig down to Sheol,from there My hand will take them;and though they climb up to heaven,from there I will pull them down. 3Though they hide themselves atop Carmel,there I will track them and seize them;and though they hide from Me at the bottom of the sea,there I will command the serpentfootnote ato bite them. 4Though they are driven by their enemies into captivity,there I will command the sword to slay them.I will fix My eyes upon themfor harm and not for good.”

5The Lord GOD of Hosts,He who touches the earth and it melts,and all its dwellers mourn—all the land rises like the Nile,then sinks like the river of Egypt— 6He builds His upper rooms in the heavensand founds His vault upon the earth.He summons the waters of the seaand pours them over the face of the earth.The LORD is His name.

7“Are you not like the Cushitesfootnote bto Me,O children of Israel?”declares the LORD.“Did I not bring Israelup from the land of Egypt,the Philistines from Caphtor,footnote cand the Arameans from Kir? 8Surely the eyes of the Lord GODare on the sinful kingdom,and I will destroy it from the face of the earth.Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,”declares the LORD. 9“For surely I will give the command,and I will shake the house of Israelamong all the nationsas grain is sifted in a sieve;but not a pebble will reach the ground. 10All the sinners among My peoplewill die by the sword—all those who say,‘Disaster will never draw near or confront us.’”

A Promise of Restoration

11“In that day I will restorethe fallen tent of David.I will repair its gaps, restore its ruins,and rebuild it as in the days of old, 12that they may possess the remnant of Edomand all the nations that bear My name,”footnote ddeclares the LORD, who will do this. 13“Behold, the days are coming,”declares the LORD,“when the plowman will overtake the reaperand the treader of grapes, the sower of seed.The mountains will drip with sweet wine,with which all the hills will flow. 14I will restore My people Israel from captivity;footnote ethey will rebuild and inhabit the ruined cities.They will plant vineyards and drink their wine;they will make gardens and eat their fruit. 15I will firmly plant them in their own land,never again to be uprootedfrom the land that I have given them,”says the LORD your God.