Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said: “Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds shake. Bring them down on the heads of all the people; those who are left I will kill with the sword. Not one will get away, none will escape. New Living Translation Then I saw a vision of the Lord standing beside the altar. He said, “Strike the tops of the Temple columns, so that the foundation will shake. Bring down the roof on the heads of the people below. I will kill with the sword those who survive. No one will escape! English Standard Version I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and he said: “Strike the capitals until the thresholds shake, and shatter them on the heads of all the people; and those who are left of them I will kill with the sword; not one of them shall flee away; not one of them shall escape. Berean Standard Bible I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said: “Strike the tops of the pillars so 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. King James Bible I 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. New King James Version I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and He said: “Strike the doorposts, that the thresholds may shake, And break them on the heads of them all. I will slay the last of them with the sword. He who flees from them shall not get away, And he who escapes from them shall not be delivered. New American Standard Bible I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said, “Strike the pillar capitals so that the thresholds will shake, And break them on the heads of them all! Then I will put to death the rest of them with the sword; They will not have a fugitive who will flee, Nor a survivor who will escape. NASB 1995 I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said, “Smite the capitals so that the thresholds will shake, And break them on the heads of them all! Then I will slay the rest of them with the sword; They will not have a fugitive who will flee, Or a refugee who will escape. NASB 1977 I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said, “Smite the capitals so that the thresholds will shake, And break them on the heads of them all! Then I will slay the rest of them with the sword; They will not have a fugitive who will flee, Or a refugee who will escape. Legacy Standard Bible I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said, “Strike the capitals so that the thresholds will quake, And break them on the heads of them all! Then I will kill the rest of them with the sword; Not one of them who can flee will flee, And not one of them who can survive will escape. Amplified Bible I saw [in a vision] the Lord standing at the altar, and He said, “Destroy the capitals (tops) of the pillars so that the thresholds will shake, And break them on the heads of all of the people! Then I will kill the rest of them with the sword; They will not have a fugitive who will get away, Or a survivor who will escape. Christian Standard Bible I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and he said: Strike the capitals of the pillars 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. None of those who flee will get away; none of the fugitives will escape. Holman Christian Standard Bible I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said: Strike the capitals of the pillars 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. None of those who flee will get away; none of the fugitives will escape. American Standard Version I saw the Lord standing beside the altar: and he said, Smite the capitals, that the thresholds may shake; and break them in pieces on the head of all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: there shall not one of them flee away, and there shall not one of them escape. Contemporary English Version I saw a vision of the LORD standing by the temple altar, and he said, "Shake the columns until the tops fall loose, and the doorposts crumble. Then make the pieces fall on the people below. I will take a sword and kill anyone who escapes. English Revised Version I SAW the Lord standing beside the altar: and he said, Smite the chapiters, that the thresholds may shake: and break them in pieces on the head of all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: there shall not one of them flee away, and there shall not one of them escape. GOD'S WORD® Translation I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said: Strike the tops of the pillars so that the foundations shake. Cut off everyone's head. I will kill with a sword all who are left. None of them will be able to get away. None of them will be able to escape. Good News Translation I saw the Lord standing by the altar. He gave the command: "Strike the tops of the Temple columns so hard that the foundation will shake. Break them off and let them fall on the heads of the people. I will kill the rest of the people in war. No one will get away; not one will escape. International Standard Version I saw the Lord standing beside the altar as he was saying, "Strike the doorposts so that the thresholds tremble, bringing them down on the heads of all of them. Those who survive I will kill with the sword. Those who flee will not escape. There will be no deliverance for the fugitives. Majority Standard Bible I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said: “Strike the tops of the pillars so 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. NET Bible I saw the sovereign One standing by the altar and he said, "Strike the tops of the support pillars, so the thresholds shake! Knock them down on the heads of all the people, and I will kill the survivors with the sword. No one will be able to run away; no one will be able to escape. New Heart English Bible I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and he said, "Strike the tops of the pillars, that the thresholds may shake; and break them in pieces on the head of all of them; and I will kill the last of them with the sword: there shall not one of them flee away, and there shall not one of them escape. Webster's Bible Translation I 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. World English Bible 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. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionI have seen the Lord standing by the altar, and He says, "" “Strike the knob, and the thresholds shake, "" And cut them off by the head—all of them, "" And I slay their posterity with a sword, "" None that flee of them flee away, "" Nor a fugitive of them escape. Young's Literal Translation I have seen the Lord standing by the altar, and He saith: 'Smite the knob, and the thresholds shake, And cut them off by the head -- all of them, And their posterity with a sword I do slay, Not flee to them doth the fleer, Nor escape to them doth a fugitive. Smith's Literal Translation I saw Jehovah standing upon the altar: and he will say, Strike the crown, and the thresholds shall tremble: and dash them in pieces upon the head of them all; and the last of them I will slay with the sword: the fleeing to them shall not flee, and he escaping to them shall not escape. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleI saw the Lord standing upon the altar, and he said: Strike the hinges, and let the lintels be shook: for there is covetousness in the head of them all, and I will slay the last of them with the sword: there shall be no flight for them: they shall flee, and he that shall flee of them shall not be delivered. Catholic Public Domain Version I saw the Lord standing over an altar, and he said: “Strike the hinges, and let the lintels be shaken. For there is avarice at the head of them all, and I will execute the very last of them with the sword. There will be no escape for them. They will flee, and he who flees from among them will not be saved. New American Bible I saw the Lord standing beside the altar. And he said: Strike the capitals so that the threshold shakes! Break them off on the heads of them all! Those who are left I will slay with the sword. Not one shall get away, no survivor shall escape. New Revised Standard Version I saw the LORD standing beside the altar, and he said: Strike the capitals until the thresholds shake, and shatter them on the heads of all the people; and those who are left I will kill with the sword; not one of them shall flee away, not one of them shall escape. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleI SAW the LORD standing over the altar; and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the thresholds may shake; and let their treachery be upon the heads of all of them, and I will slay those who are left of them with the sword; he that flees of them shall not escape, and he that is spared of them shall not be delivered. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And I saw LORD JEHOVAH who stood over the altar, and he said: ’strike the top and the doorposts shall shake, and their treachery is on the heads of all of them, and the rest of them I shall kill by the sword; he who fled will not escape from them, and he who is spared shall not escape from them OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917I saw the Lord standing beside the altar; and He said: Smite the capitals, that the posts may shake; And break them in pieces on the head of all of them; And I will slay the residue of them with the sword; There shall not one of them flee away, And there shall not one of them escape. Brenton Septuagint Translation I saw the Lord standing on the altar: and he said, Smite the mercy-seat, and the porch shall be shaken: and cut through into the heads of all; and I will slay the remnant of them with the sword: no one of them fleeing shall escape, and no one of them, striving to save himself shall be delivered. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Destruction of Israel1I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said: “Strike the tops of the pillars so 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.… Cross References Isaiah 6:1-4 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple. / Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. / And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.” ... Revelation 6:15-17 Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. / And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. / For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?” Jeremiah 1:10 See, I have appointed you today over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.” Ezekiel 9:1-6 Then I heard Him call out in a loud voice, saying, “Draw near, O executioners of the city, each with a weapon of destruction in hand.” / And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with a weapon of slaughter in his hand. With them was another man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar. / Then the glory of the God of Israel rose from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side. ... Revelation 9:13-15 Then the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God / saying to the sixth angel with the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” / So the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. 1 Kings 6:2-3 The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. / The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple was twenty cubits long, extending across the width of the temple and projecting out ten cubits in front of the temple. Isaiah 66:6 Hear the uproar from the city; listen to the voice from the temple! It is the voice of the LORD, repaying His enemies what they deserve! Zephaniah 1:4-6 “I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all who dwell in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the idolatrous and pagan priests— / those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom, / and those who turn back from following the LORD, neither seeking the LORD nor inquiring of Him.” Matthew 23:35-36 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. / Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation. Jeremiah 25:29-31 For behold, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears My Name, so how could you possibly go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the LORD of Hosts.’ / So you are to prophesy all these words against them and say to them: ‘The LORD will roar from on high; He will raise His voice from His holy habitation. He will roar loudly over His pasture; like those who tread the grapes, He will call out with a shout against all the inhabitants of the earth. / The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth because the LORD brings a charge against the nations. He brings judgment on all mankind and puts the wicked to the sword,’” declares the LORD. Revelation 11:1-2 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there. / But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. 2 Kings 21:12-14 this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah that the news will reverberate in the ears of all who hear it. / I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab, and I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a bowl—wiping it and turning it upside down. / So I will forsake the remnant of My inheritance and deliver them into the hands of their enemies. And they will become plunder and spoil to all their enemies, Ezekiel 21:14-17 ‘So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword that slays, a sword of great slaughter closing in on every side! / So that their hearts may melt and many may stumble, I have appointed at all their gates a sword for slaughter. Yes, it is ready to flash like lightning; it is drawn for slaughter. / Slash to the right; set your blade to the left—wherever your blade is directed. ... Luke 21:22-24 For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. / How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people. / They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Hosea 9:7-9 The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived—let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility. / The prophet is Ephraim’s watchman, along with my God, yet the snare of the fowler lies on all his paths. Hostility is in the house of his God! / They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their guilt; He will punish their sins. Treasury of Scripture I saw the LORD standing on 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 flees of them shall not flee away, and he that escapes of them shall not be delivered. I saw. 2 Chronicles 18:18 Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. Isaiah 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Ezekiel 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. upon. Amos 3:14 That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. Ezekiel 9:2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar. Ezekiel 10:4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD'S glory. Smite. Isaiah 6:3,4 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory… Zechariah 11:1,2 Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars… lintel. Psalm 68:21 But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses. Habakkuk 3:13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah. shall not flee. Amos 2:14,15 Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself: … Isaiah 24:17,18 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth… Isaiah 30:16 But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. Jump to Previous Altar Break Capitals Cut Door Escape Flee Fleeth Head Kill Last Pieces Pillars Posts Residue Shake Slay Smite Standing Strike Sword Thresholds TopsJump to Next Altar Break Capitals Cut Door Escape Flee Fleeth Head Kill Last Pieces Pillars Posts Residue Shake Slay Smite Standing Strike Sword Thresholds TopsAmos 9 1. The certainty of the desolation.11. The restoring of the tabernacle of David. I saw the Lord The phrase "I saw the Lord" indicates a prophetic vision, a direct revelation from God to Amos. In Hebrew, the word for "saw" is "ra'ah," which implies not just physical sight but a deeper, spiritual perception. This vision signifies the authority and authenticity of Amos's message, as he is not speaking from his own understanding but from a divine encounter. The "Lord" here is "Adonai," emphasizing God's sovereignty and supreme authority over all creation. This vision sets the stage for the gravity of the message that follows, as it comes directly from the ultimate Judge and Ruler. standing by the altar and He said Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds tremble and shatter them on the heads of all the people I will kill the last of them with the sword Not one of them will get away none will escape (1) The last vision is transferred to the shrine at Bethel, the seat of the calf-worship. The prophet sees Jehovah Himself standing in pomp by the altar of burnt offering, and by His side the angel of His presence, to whom now, as on many other occasions, the mission of destruction has been entrusted. To him the words of Jehovah are addressed (so Aben Ezra, Kimchi). It is doubtful what is meant by the Hebrew Caphtor (mistranslated "lintel of the door"). It may mean the wreathed capital of the columns, as in Zephaniah 2:14. So Hitzig and Keil. The word sippim (mistranslated "posts") properly signifies "thresholds," but is here understood by the first-mentioned commentator to mean the cornice supported by the columns. This is confirmed by the LXX. on Isaiah 6:4 (see Delitzsch ad loc). But as there is no mention of the temple building, but only of the altar of burnt offering, it is much safer to adhere to the ordinary and well-established significations of these terms. We should accordingly follow Ewald in taking Caphtor as referring to the ornamented horns of the altar. Similarly, in Exodus 25:31; Exodus 37:17, it signifies the richly decorated extremities of the golden candelabra. The scene is wonderfully vivid. Round the colossal altar of burnt offering a crowd of eager devotees is gathered. Jehovah gives the word of command to His angel, and with a blow that shakes the very threshold the ornamented altar horns are shivered to fragments, which are hurled down upon the panic-stricken multitude below. And cut . . .--Rather, and dash them in pieces upon the head of all of them. Verses 1-10. - § 6. The fifth vision displays the Lord standing by the altar and commanding the destruction of the temple (ver. 1). No one shall escape this judgment, flee whither he will (vers. 2-4); for God is Almighty (vers. 5, 6). Their election shall not save the guilty Israelites; still they shall not be utterly destroyed (vers. 7-10). Verse 1. - I saw the Lord. It is now no longer a mere emblem that the prophet sees, but actual destruction. He beholds the majesty of God, as Isaiah 6:1; Ezekiel 10:1. Upon (or, by) the altar; i.e. the altar of burnt offering at Jerusalem, Where, it is supposed, the whole nation, Israelites and Judaeans, are assembled for worship. It is natural, at first sight, to suppose that the sanctuary of the northern kingdom is the scene of this vision, as the destruction of idolatry is here emblemized; but more probably Bethel is not meant, for there were more altars than one there (Amos 3:14), and one cannot imagine the Lord standing by the symbol of the calf worship. Smite. The command is mysteriously addressed to the destroying angel (comp. Exodus 12:13; 2 Samuel 24:15, etc.; 2 Kings 19:35). The lintel of the door; τὸ ἱλαστήριον (Septuagint); cardinem (Vulgate); better, the chapiter (Zephaniah 2:14); i.e. the capital of the columns. The word kaphtor is used in Exodus 25:31, etc., for the knop or ornament on the golden candlesticks; here the idea is that the temple receives a blow on the top of the pillars which support it sufficient to cause its overthrow. The LXX. rendering arises from a confusion of two Hebrew words somewhat similar. The posts; the thresholds; i.e. the base. The knop and the threshold imply the total destruction from summit to base. Cut them in the head, all of them; rather, break them [the capital and the thresholds] to pieces upon the head of all. Let the falling building cover them with its ruins. The Vulgate renders, avaritia enim in capite omnium, confounding two words. Jerome had the same Hebrew reading, as he translates, quaetus eorum, avaritia, as if giving the reason for the punishment. The overthrown temple presents a forcible picture of the destruction of the theocracy. The last of them (Amos 4:2); the remnant; any who escape the fall of the temple. He that fleeth, etc. All hope of escape shall be cut off.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew I sawרָאִ֨יתִי (rā·’î·ṯî) Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 7200: To see the Lord אֲדֹנָ֜י (’ă·ḏō·nāy) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 136: The Lord standing נִצָּ֣ב (niṣ·ṣāḇ) Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 5324: To take one's stand, stand beside עַֽל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the altar, הַמִּזְבֵּ֗חַ (ham·miz·bê·aḥ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4196: An altar and He said: וַיֹּאמֶר֩ (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “Strike הַ֨ךְ (haḵ) Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 5221: To strike the tops of the pillars הַכַּפְתּ֜וֹר (hak·kap̄·tō·wr) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3730: Capital, knob, bulb so that the thresholds הַסִּפִּ֗ים (has·sip·pîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 5592: A vestibule, a dish shake. וְיִרְעֲשׁ֣וּ (wə·yir·‘ă·šū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 7493: To undulate, through fear, to spring Topple them וּבְצַ֙עַם֙ (ū·ḇə·ṣa·‘am) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person masculine plural Strong's 1214: To cut off, break off, gain by violence on the heads בְּרֹ֣אשׁ (bə·rōš) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 7218: The head of all the people, כֻּלָּ֔ם (kul·lām) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every and I will kill אֶהֱרֹ֑ג (’e·hĕ·rōḡ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 2026: To smite with deadly intent the rest וְאַחֲרִיתָ֖ם (wə·’a·ḥă·rî·ṯām) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 319: The last, end, the future, posterity with the sword. בַּחֶ֣רֶב (ba·ḥe·reḇ) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword None לֹֽא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no of those who flee יָנ֤וּס (yā·nūs) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5127: To flit, vanish away will get away; נָ֔ס (nās) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 5127: To flit, vanish away none וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-) Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no of the fugitives פָּלִֽיט׃ (pā·lîṭ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6412: Escaped one, fugitive will escape. יִמָּלֵ֥ט (yim·mā·lêṭ) Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 4422: To be smooth, to escape, to release, rescue, to bring forth young, emit sparks Links Amos 9:1 NIVAmos 9:1 NLT Amos 9:1 ESV Amos 9:1 NASB Amos 9:1 KJV Amos 9:1 BibleApps.com Amos 9:1 Biblia Paralela Amos 9:1 Chinese Bible Amos 9:1 French Bible Amos 9:1 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Amos 9:1 I saw the Lord standing beside (Amo. Am) |