1 Or “the Lord.” The Hebrew term translated “sovereign One” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
2 The altar is perhaps the altar at Bethel.
3 Or “the capitals.” The Hebrew singular form is collective.
4 Heb “cut them off on the head of all of them.” The translation assumes the objective suffix on the verb refers to the tops of the pillars and that the following prepositional phrase refers to the people standing beneath. Another option is to take this phrase as referring to the pillars, in which case one could translate, “Knock all the tops of the pillars off.”
5 Heb “the remnant of them.” One could possibly translate, “every last one of them” (cf. “to the last man”). This probably refers to those who survive the collapse of the temple, which may symbolize the northern kingdom.
6 Heb “a fugitive belonging to them will not run away.”
7 Heb “a survivor belonging to them will not escape.”

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Public Domain

Amos 9:1

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