12 Or “For look.” The expression כִּי־הִנֵּה (ki-hinneh) may function as an explanatory introduction (“For look!”; Isa 26:21; 60:2; 65:17, 18: 66:15; Jer 1:15; 25:29; 30:10; 45:5; 46:27; 50:9; Ezek 30:9; 36:9; Zech 2:10; 3:8), or as an emphatic introduction (“Look!”; Jdgs 3:15; Isa 3:1; Jer 8:17; 30:3; 49:15; Hos 9:6; Joel 3:1 [ 4:1]; Amos 4:2, 13; 6:11, 14; 9:9; Hab 1:6; Zech 2:9 [ 2:13]; Zech 3:9; 11:16).
13 Or “high places” (, , , , ).
14 Or “melt” (, , , , ). This is a figurative description of earthquakes, landslides, and collapse of the mountains, rather than some sort of volcanic activity (note the remainder of the verse).
15 The mountains will disintegrate … the valleys will be split in two. This imagery pictures an earthquake and accompanying landslide.
16 The words “the mountains will melt” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The simile extends back to the first line of the verse.
17 The words “the rocks will slide down” are supplied in the translation for clarification. This simile elaborates on the prior one and further develops the imagery of the verse’s first line.

In other versions

For behold, the Lord is coming out of his place,

and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth.

And the mountains will melt under him,

and the valleys will split open,

like wax before the fire,

like waters poured down a steep place.

Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling place;

he comes down and treads on the heights of the earth.

The mountains melt beneath him

and the valleys split apart,

like wax before the fire,

like water rushing down a slope.

Look, the Lord is leaving his place

and coming down to trample

the heights of the earth.

The mountains will melt beneath him,

and the valleys will split apart,

like wax near a fire,

like water cascading down a mountainside.

Look! The Lord is coming!

He leaves his throne in heaven

and tramples the heights of the earth.

The mountains melt beneath his feet

and flow into the valleys

like wax in a fire,

like water pouring down a hill.

For behold, Yahweh is coming out from his place,

and he will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth.

The mountains will melt under him

and the valleys will burst open,

like wax before the fire,

like water rushing down a slope.

For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place,

And will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

And the mountains shall be molten under him,

And the valleys shall be cleft,

As wax before the fire,

And as the waters that are poured down a steep place.

Public Domain