1I 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.
2Though 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;
3And 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;
4And 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.
5And 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;
6That 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.
7Are 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?
8Behold, 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.
9For, 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.
10By 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.
11On 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:
12In 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.
13Behold, 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.
14And 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.
15And 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.