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18 One who flees at the sound of terror
    will fall into the pit;
One who climbs out of the pit
    will be caught in the trap.
For the windows on high are open
    and the foundations of the earth shake.(A)

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18 Whoever flees(A) at the sound of terror
    will fall into a pit;(B)
whoever climbs out of the pit
    will be caught in a snare.(C)

The floodgates of the heavens(D) are opened,
    the foundations of the earth shake.(E)

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Chapter 9

Fifth Vision: The Destruction of the Sanctuary

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.[a](A)
Though they dig down to Sheol,
    even from there my hand shall take them;
Though they climb to the heavens,
    even from there I shall bring them down.(B)
Though they hide on the summit of Carmel,
    there too I will hunt them down and take them;
Though they hide from my gaze at the bottom of the sea,
    there I will command the serpent[b] to bite them.(C)
Though they go into captivity before their enemies,
    there I will command the sword to slay them.
I will fix my gaze upon them
    for evil and not for good.

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Footnotes

  1. 9:1 This vision may describe the destruction of the temple at Bethel and the fulfillment of the oracle in 3:14, linking God’s judgment upon Israel with the “punishment” of the altars of Bethel. This dramatic event (perhaps to be identified with the earthquake mentioned in 1:1) symbolizes the end of the Northern Kingdom as the Lord’s people, the consequence of their steadfast refusal to heed the prophetic word and return to the God of Israel.
  2. 9:3 The serpent: a name for the primeval chaos monster, vanquished by God at the time of creation but not annihilated. He was a personification of the sea, another primary archetype of chaos in the ancient Near East.

Israel to Be Destroyed

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(A) of all the people;
    those who are left I will kill with the sword.
Not one will get away,
    none will escape.(B)
Though they dig down to the depths below,(C)
    from there my hand will take them.
Though they climb up to the heavens above,(D)
    from there I will bring them down.(E)
Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,(F)
    there I will hunt them down and seize them.(G)
Though they hide from my eyes at the bottom of the sea,(H)
    there I will command the serpent(I) to bite them.(J)
Though they are driven into exile by their enemies,
    there I will command the sword(K) to slay them.

“I will keep my eye on them
    for harm(L) and not for good.(M)(N)

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