Study Desk

I saw the Lord standing beside the altar,^(a) and He said: Strike the capitals of the pillars^(b) so that the thresholds shake; knock them down on the heads of all the people. Then I will kill the rest of them with the sword.^(c) None of those who flee will get away;^(d) none of the fugitives will escape.

If they dig down to Sheol,^(e) from there My hand will take them; if they climb up to heaven,^(f) from there I will bring them down.

If they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will track them down^(g) and seize them; if they conceal themselves from My sight on the sea floor,^(h) from there I will command the sea serpent to bite them.⁽ⁱ⁾

And if they are driven by their enemies into captivity,^(j) from there I will command the sword to kill them.^(k) I will fix My eyes on them for harm and not for good.^(l)

The Lord, the God of Hosts— He touches the earth;^(m) it melts, and all who dwell in it mourn; all of it rises like the Nile and subsides like the Nile of Egypt.⁽ⁿ⁾

He builds His upper chambers in the heavens^(o) and lays the foundation of His vault on the earth.^(p) He summons the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth.^(q) Yahweh is His name.^(r)

Israelites, are you not like the Cushites to Me?^(s) This is the Lord 's declaration. Didn't I bring Israel from the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor,^[a](t) and the Arameans from Kir?^(u)

Look, the eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful kingdom,^(v) and I will destroy it from the face of the earth.^(w) However, I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob^(x)— this is the Lord 's declaration—

for I am about to give the command, and I will shake the house of Israel^(y) among all the nations, as one shakes a sieve, but not a pebble will fall to the ground.

All the sinners among My people^(z) who say: "Disaster will never overtake^[b] or confront us,"^(aa) will die by the sword.

In that day I will restore the fallen booth^(ab) of David:^(ac) I will repair its gaps, restore its ruins,^(ad) and rebuild it as in the days of old,^(ae)

so that they may possess the remnant of Edom^(af) and all the nations that are called by My name^[c](ag)— this is the Lord 's declaration— He will do this.

Hear this! The days are coming— this is the Lord 's declaration— when the plowman will overtake the reaper^(ah) and the one who treads grapes, the sower of seed. The mountains will drip with sweet wine, and all the hills will flow with it.^(ai)

I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel.^[d](aj) They will rebuild and occupy ruined cities,^(ak) plant vineyards and drink their wine, make gardens and eat their produce.^(al)

I will plant them on their land, and they will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them.^(am) Yahweh your God has spoken.