Amos

Amos 9:1–4

¹I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said:

“Strike the tops of the pillars

so that the thresholds shake.

Topple them on the heads of all the people,

and I will kill the rest with the sword.

None of those who flee will get away;

none of the fugitives will escape.

²Though they dig down to Sheol,

from there My hand will take them;

and though they climb up to heaven,

from there I will pull them down.

³Though they hide themselves atop Carmel,

there I will track them and seize them;

and though they hide from Me at the bottom of the sea,

there I will command the serpent^a to bite them.

⁴Though they are driven by their enemies into captivity,

there I will command the sword to slay them.

I will fix My eyes upon them

for harm and not for good.”

Footnotes

a 9:3 Hebrew nachash; translated in most cases as snake

Read all of Amos 9

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Amos 9:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I saw	רָאִ֨יתִי	rā·’î·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H7200 see
the Lord	אֲדֹנָ֜י	’ă·ḏō·nāy	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H136 lord
standing	נִצָּ֣ב	niṣ·ṣāḇ	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular	H5324 take one's stand, stand
beside	עַֽל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the altar	הַמִּזְבֵּ֗חַ	ham·miz·bê·aḥ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
and He said	וַיֹּאמֶר֩	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Strike	הַ֨ךְ	haḵ	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular	H5221 smite
the tops of the pillars	הַכַּפְתּ֜וֹר	hak·kap̄·tō·wr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3730 capital
so that the thresholds	הַסִּפִּ֗ים	has·sip·pîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H5592 basin, goblet
shake	וְיִרְעֲשׁ֣וּ	wə·yir·‘ă·šū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7493 quake, shake
Topple them	וּבְצַ֙עַם֙	ū·ḇə·ṣa·‘am	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H1214 cut off, break off, gain by violence
on the heads	בְּרֹ֣אשׁ	bə·rōš	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7218 head
of all the people	כֻּלָּ֔ם	kul·lām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3605 the whole, all
and I will kill	אֶהֱרֹ֑ג	’e·hĕ·rōḡ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H2026 kill, slay
the rest	וְאַחֲרִיתָ֖ם	wə·’a·ḥă·rî·ṯām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H319 after-part, end
with the sword	בַּחֶ֣רֶב	ba·ḥe·reḇ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2719 sword
None	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
of those who flee	יָנ֤וּס	yā·nūs	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5127 flee, escape
will get away	נָ֔ס	nās	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H5127 flee, escape
none	וְלֹֽא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
of the fugitives	פָּלִֽיט׃	pā·lîṭ	Noun - masculine singular	H6412 escaped one, fugitive
will escape	יִמָּלֵ֥ט	yim·mā·lêṭ	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H4422 slip away

Amos 9:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Though	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
they dig down	יַחְתְּר֣וּ	yaḥ·tə·rū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H2864 dig, row
to Sheol	בִשְׁא֔וֹל	ḇiš·’ō·wl	Preposition-b; Noun - common singular	H7585 underworld
from there	מִשָּׁ֖ם	miš·šām	Preposition-m; Adverb	H8033 there, thither
My hand	יָדִ֣י	yā·ḏî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H3027 hand
will take them	תִקָּחֵ֑ם	ṯiq·qā·ḥêm	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular; third person masculine plural	H3947 take
and though	וְאִֽם־	wə·’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
they climb up	יַעֲלוּ֙	ya·‘ă·lū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
to heaven	הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם	haš·šā·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
from there	מִשָּׁ֖ם	miš·šām	Preposition-m; Adverb	H8033 there, thither
I will pull them down	אוֹרִידֵֽם׃	’ō·w·rî·ḏêm	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular; third person masculine plural	H3381 come or go down, descend

Amos 9:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Though	וְאִם־	wə·’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
they hide themselves	יֵחָֽבְאוּ֙	yê·ḥā·ḇə·’ū	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H2244 withdraw, hide
atop	בְּרֹ֣אשׁ	bə·rōš	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7218 head
Carmel	הַכַּרְמֶ֔ל	hak·kar·mel	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3760 Carmel
there	מִשָּׁ֥ם	miš·šām	Preposition-m; Adverb	H8033 there, thither
I will track them	אֲחַפֵּ֖שׂ	’ă·ḥap·pêś	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular	H2664 search
and seize them	וּלְקַחְתִּ֑ים	ū·lə·qaḥ·tîm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular; third person masculine plural	H3947 take
and though	וְאִם־	wə·’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
they hide	יִסָּ֨תְר֜וּ	yis·sā·ṯə·rū	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5641 hide, conceal
from	מִנֶּ֤גֶד	min·ne·ḡeḏ	Preposition-m	H5048 what is conspicuous or in front
Me	עֵינַי֙	‘ê·nay	Noun - cdc; first person common singular	H5869 eye
at the bottom of	בְּקַרְקַ֣ע	bə·qar·qa‘	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H7172 floor
the sea	הַיָּ֔ם	hay·yām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3220 sea
there	מִשָּׁ֛ם	miš·šām	Preposition-m; Adverb	H8033 there, thither
I will command	אֲצַוֶּ֥ה	’ă·ṣaw·weh	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
the serpent	הַנָּחָ֖שׁ	han·nā·ḥāš	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5175 serpent
to bite them	וּנְשָׁכָֽם׃	ū·nə·šā·ḵām	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H5391 bite

Amos 9:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Though	וְאִם־	wə·’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
they are driven	יֵלְכ֤וּ	yê·lə·ḵū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
by	לִפְנֵ֣י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
their enemies	אֹֽיבֵיהֶ֔ם	ʾ·ḇē·hɛm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H341 be hostile to
into captivity	בַשְּׁבִי֙	ḇaš·šə·ḇî	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7628 captivity, captives
there	מִשָּׁ֛ם	miš·šām	Preposition-m; Adverb	H8033 there, thither
I will command	אֲצַוֶּ֥ה	’ă·ṣaw·weh	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
the sword	הַחֶ֖רֶב	ha·ḥe·reḇ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2719 sword
to slay them	וַהֲרָגָ֑תַם	wa·hă·rā·ḡā·ṯam	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular; third person masculine plural	H2026 kill, slay
I will fix	וְשַׂמְתִּ֨י	wə·śam·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H7760 put, place, set
My eyes	עֵינִ֧י	‘ê·nî	Noun - common singular construct; first person common singular	H5869 eye
upon them	עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם	‘ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H5921 height
for harm	לְרָעָ֖ה	lə·rā·‘āh	Preposition-l; Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
and not	וְלֹ֥א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
for good	לְטוֹבָֽה׃	lə·ṭō·w·ḇāh	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good