The IX. Chapter.
[ A] I Sawe the LORDE stondinge vpon the aulter, and he sayde: smyte the do∣re cheke, that the postes maye shake withall. For their couetousnesse shal fall v∣pon all their heades, and their posterite shal∣be slayne with the swerde. They shall not fle awaye, there shall not one off them escape, ner be delyuered. Though they were buryed in the hell, my honde shal fetch them from thence:* 1.1 though they clymme vp to heauen, yet shal I cast them downe: though they hy¦de them selues vpō the toppe of Carmel, yet shal I seke them out, and brynge them from thence: Though they crepe downe fro my sight in to the depe of the see, I shal cōmaū∣de the serpente, euen there to byte them. Yff they go awaye before their enemies ī to cap¦tyuyte, then shall I commaunde the swerde, there to slaye them.
Thus wil I set myne eyes vpon them, for their harme and not for their wealth. For when the LORDE God of hoostes toucheth a londe, it cōsumeth awaye, and all they that [ B] dwell therin, must nedes mourne: And why? their destruccion shal aryse as euery streame and runne ouer them,* 1.2 as the floude in Egip¦te. He that hath his dwellinge in heauen, ād groundeth his tabernacle in the earth: He that calleth the waters of the see,* 1.3 and pou∣reth them out vpon the playne grounde: his name is the LORDE. O ye children off Israel, are ye not vnto me, euen as the Morians, sa∣yeth the LORDE? haue not I brought Israel out off the londe off Egipte, the Philisty∣nes from Capthor,* 1.4 and the Sirians frō Cyr? Beholde, the eyes of the LORDE are vpon the realme that synneth,* 1.5 to rote it clene out of the earth: Neuertheles, I will not vterly destroye the house of Iacob, saieth the LOR∣DE.
For lo, this I promyse: though I siffte ye house of Israel amonge all nacions (like as they vse to sifte in a syue) yet shall not ye smal¦lest grauel stone fall vpō the earth: But all the wicked doers of my people, that saye: Tush, the plage is not so nye, to come so has∣tely [ C] vpon vs: those shal perish with the swer¦de. At that tyme wil I buylde agayne the tabernacle off Dauid,* 1.6 that is fallen dow∣ne, and hedge vp his gappes: and loke what is brokē, I shal repayre it: Yee I shal buylde it agayne, as it was afore tyme, yt they ma∣ye possesse the remnaunt of Edom, yee and all soch people as call vpon my name wt thē, saieth the LORDE, which doth these thinges▪
Beholde, the tyme commeth (saieth the LORDE) that the plowman shal ouertake ye mower, and ye treader off grapes, him that soweth sede.* 1.7 The mountaynes shall droppe swete wyne, and the hilles shall be frutefull, and I wil turne the captyuyte of my people of Israel: they shal repayre the waist cities, & haue thē in possessiō: they shal plante vin∣yardes, ād drynke the wyne therof: they shal make gardens, and enioye the frutes off thē. And I wil plāte them vpō their owne groū¦de, so that I will neuer rote them out agay∣ne from their londe, which I haue geuen thē sayeth the LORDE thy God.