9I saw the Lord standing by the altar. He gave the command: “Strike the tops of the temple columns so hard that the whole porch 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. ²Even if they dig their way down to the world of the dead, I will catch them. Even if they climb up to heaven, I will bring them down. ³If they hide on the top of Mount Carmel, I will search for them and catch them. If they hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will command the sea monster^k to bite them. ⁴If they are taken away into captivity by their enemies, I will order them to be put to death. I am determined to destroy them, not to help them.”

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Footnotes

ksea monster: It was believed that the sea was inhabited by a great monster. This creature, like all others, was regarded as under God’s control.

In other versions

ESVEnglish 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.

“If they dig into Sheol,

from there shall my hand take them;

if they climb up to heaven,

from there I will bring them down.

If they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,

from there I will search them out and take them;

and if they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea,

there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them.

And if they go into captivity before their enemies,

there I will command the sword, and it shall kill them;

and I will fix my eyes upon them

for evil and not for good.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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.

Though they dig down to the depths below,

from there my hand will take them.

Though they climb up to the heavens above,

from there I will bring them down.

Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,

there I will hunt them down and seize them.

Though they hide from my eyes at the bottom of the sea,

there I will command the serpent to bite them.

Though they are driven into exile by their enemies,

there I will command the sword to slay them.

“I will keep my eye on them

for harm and not for good.”

CSBChristian 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.

If they dig down to Sheol,

from there my hand will take them;

if they climb up to heaven,

from there I will bring them down.

If they hide

on the top of Carmel,

from there I will track them down

and seize them;

if they conceal themselves

from my sight on the sea floor,

from there I will command

the sea serpent to bite them.

And if they are driven

by their enemies into captivity,

from there I will command

the sword to kill them.

I will keep my eye on them

for harm and not for good.

NLTNew 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!

“Even if they dig down to the place of the dead,

I will reach down and pull them up.

Even if they climb up into the heavens,

I will bring them down.

Even if they hide at the very top of Mount Carmel,

I will search them out and capture them.

Even if they hide at the bottom of the ocean,

I will send the sea serpent after them to bite them.

Even if their enemies drive them into exile,

I will command the sword to kill them there.

I am determined to bring disaster upon them

and not to help them.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

I saw my Lord standing by the altar and he said, “Strike the capitals so that the thresholds will shake, and shatter them on the head of all of them, and I will kill the rest of them with the sword. A fugitive belonging to them will not run away, and a survivor belonging to them will not escape. If they dig into Sheol, from there my hand will take them, and even if they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down. And even if they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search and will take them, and even if they hide from before my eyes at the bottom of the sea, from there I will command the sea serpent and it will bite them. And even if they go into captivity before their enemies, from there I will command the sword and it will kill them, and I will fix my eyes on them for harm and not for good.”

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them;

Though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:

And 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:

And 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.

Public Domain