Fifth vision: fall of the sanctuary
1I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said, “Strike the top of the columns, so that the beams shake and the roof falls down on the heads of them all. Those who are left I will slay with the sword; not one shall flee, not one shall escape.
2Though they dig down to the nether world, my hand will take them from there; though they climb up to heaven, I will bring them down from there;
3Though they hide on the top of Carmel, I will search them out there and take them; though they hide from me in the depths of the sea, I will bid the sea serpent bite them.
4When they are led into captivity by their enemies, there I will command the sword to slay them.
For I have set my eye upon them, not for help but for harm.”
5When Yahweh of hosts touches the earth, it melts and all who dwell on it mourn. The earth rises up and heaves like the Nile and settles back again like the river of Egypt.
6He has built heaven, his upper room, and established the dome of the sky over the earth. He summons the waters of the sea and pours them upon the face of the earth: Yahweh is his name.
7And now Yahweh says, “Are you Israelites more to me than the Ethiopians? Did I not bring Israel up from the land of Egypt as I brought the Philistines from Caphtor and Aram from Kir?
8My eyes are upon your sinful kingdom. I wanted to destroy it from the face of the earth, but I cannot do away completely with the nation of Jacob,” says Yahweh.
9“This is what I have ordered: I will sift the nation of Israel among the nations as one sifts with a sieve, let ting no pebble pass through. 10All sinners among my people shall die, those who say, ‘Evil will not reach or overtake us.’
11On that day I shall restore the fallen hut of David and wall up its breaches and raise its ruined walls and so build it as in days of old.
12They shall conquer the remnant of Edom and the neighboring nations upon which my name has been called.” Thus says Yahweh, the one who will do this.
13Yahweh says also, “The days are coming when the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes overtake the sower. The mountains shall drip sweet wine and all the hills shall melt.
14I shall bring back the exiles of my people Israel; they will rebuild the desolate cities and dwell in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will have orchards and eat their fruit. 15I shall plant them in their own country and they shall never again be rooted up from the land which I have given them,” says Yahweh your God.
