Amos 9:3

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

And, though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, from thence, will I search for them and take them, - and, though they conceal themselves from before mine eyes at the bottom of the sea, from thence, will I command the serpent and he shall bite them;

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If they hideon the top of Carmel,from there I will track them downand seize them;if they conceal themselvesfrom my sight on the sea floor,from there I will commandthe sea serpent to bite them.

Hebrew Names Version
Though they hide themselves in the top of Karmel, I will search and take them out there; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it will bite them.

King James Version (1611)
And though they hide themselues in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence, and though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the Sea, thence will I commaund the serpent, and he shall bite them.

King James Version
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:

English Standard Version
If they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search them out and take them; and if they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them.

New American Standard Bible
"And though they hide on the summit of Carmel, I will track them down and take them from there; And though they hide themselves from My sight on the bottom of the sea, I will command the serpent from there, and it will bite them.

New Century Version
If they hide at the top of Mount Carmel, I will find them and take them away. If they try to hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will command a snake to bite them.

Amplified Bible
"Though they hide on the summit of [Mount] Carmel, I will track them down and take them from there; And though they hide from My sight on the floor of the sea, From there I shall command the serpent and it will bite them.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And though they hide them selues in the toppe of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence: and though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the sea, thence will I commande the serpent, and he shall bite them.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Though they hide on the summit of Carmel, I will search them out and take them from there; And though they conceal themselves from My sight on the floor of the sea, From there I will command the serpent and it will bite them.

Legacy Standard Bible
And though they hide on the top of Carmel,From there I will search them out and take them;And though they conceal themselves from My eyes on the floor of the sea,From there I will command the serpent, and it will bite them.

Berean Standard Bible
Though 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 to bite them.

Contemporary English Version
If they escape to the peaks of Mount Carmel, I'll search and find them. And if they hide from me at the bottom of the ocean, I'll command a sea monster to bite them.

Complete Jewish Bible
If they hide themselves on the top of the Karmel, I will search them out and capture them there; If they hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will order the serpent to bite them there.

Darby Translation
and though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, there will I command the serpent, and it shall bite them;

Easy-to-Read Version
If they hide at the top of Mount Carmel, I will find them there and take them from that place. If they try to hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will command the snake, and it will bite them.

George Lamsa Translation
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out from there; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent and it shall bite them;

Good News Translation
If they hide on the top of Mount Carmel, I will search for them and catch them. If they hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will command the sea monster to bite them.

Lexham English Bible
And even if they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search and will take them, and even if they hide from before my eyes at the bottom of the sea, from there I will command the sea serpent and it will bite them.

Literal Translation
And if they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out from there. And if they hide from My eyes in the bottom of the sea, from there I will command the serpent, and he will bite them.

American Standard Version
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and it shall bite them.

Bible in Basic English
Though they take cover on the top of Carmel, I will go in search of them and get them out; though they keep themselves from my eyes in the bed of the sea, I will give orders to the great snake there and he will give them a bite:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from My sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And though they hyde them selues in the top of Charmel, I will searche, and take them out thence: and though they be hyd from my sight in the bottome of the sea, thence will I commaunde the serpent, and he shall bite them.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
If they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, thence will I search them out and take them; and if they should go down from my presence into the depths of the sea, there will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them.

English Revised Version
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them.

World English Bible
Though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out there; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it will bite them.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And if thei schulen be hid in the cop of Carmele, fro thennus Y sekynge schal do awei hem; and if thei schulen hide hem silf fro myn iyen in the depnesse of the see, there Y shal comaunde to a serpente, and it schal bite hem.

Update Bible Version
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out from there; and though they are hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, from there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they are hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:

New English Translation
Even if they were to hide on the top of Mount Carmel, I would hunt them down and take them from there. Even if they tried to hide from me at the bottom of the sea, from there I would command the Sea Serpent to bite them.

New King James Version
And though they hide themselves on top of Carmel, From there I will search and take them; Though they hide from My sight at the bottom of the sea, From there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them;

New Living Translation
Even if they hide at the very top of Mount Carmel, I will search them out and capture them. Even if they hide at the bottom of the ocean, I will send the sea serpent after them to bite them.

New Life Bible
Even if they hide on the top of Mount Carmel, I will find them and take them from there. Even if they hide themselves from My eyes on the bottom of the sea, there I will tell the large sea-snake to bite them.

New Revised Standard
Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search out and take them; and though they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the sea-serpent, and it shall bite them.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And though they be hid in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them away from thence: and though they hide themselves from my eyes in the depth of the sea, there will I command the serpent and he shall bite them.

Revised Standard Version
Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search out and take them; and though they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them.

Young's Literal Translation
And if they be hid in the top of Carmel, From thence I search out, and have taken them, And if they be hid from Mine eyes in the bottom of the sea, From thence I command the serpent, And it hath bitten them.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
though they hyde them selues vpo 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 comaude the serpente, euen there to byte them.

Contextual Overview

¹ I saw My Lord stationed by the altar, and he said - Smite the capital - that the sills, may tremble, Yea break them off on the head of them all, and, the last of them, with the sword, will I slay, - He that fleeth of them, shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them, shall not make good his escape. ² Though they break through into hades, from thence, shall my hand fetch them, - and, though they ascend the heavens, from thence, will I bring them down; ³ And, though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, from thence, will I search for them and take them, - and, though they conceal themselves from before mine eyes at the bottom of the sea, from thence, will I command the serpent and he shall bite them; ⁴ And, though they go into captivity before their enemies, from thence, will I command the sword, and it shall slay them, - So will I set mine eyes upon them for calamity, and not for blessing. ⁵ Now, My Lord, Yahweh of hosts, is he - -who toucheth the earth, and it melteth, and all that dwell therein, mourn; and it cometh up like the Nile, all of it, and subsideth like the river of Egypt: ⁶ Who buildeth, in the heavens, his upper rooms, and, as for his vault, upon the earth, hath he founded it, - who calleth to the waters of the sea, and poureth them out over the face of the land, Yahweh, is his name. ⁷ Like the sons of the Ethiopians, are not ye, unto me, O sons of Israel? Demandeth Yahweh: Was it not, Israel, I brought up out of the land of Egypt, and the Philistines out of Caphtor, and the Syrians out of Kir? ⁸ Lo! the eyes of My Lord, Yahweh, are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the ground, - save only that I will not, utterly destroy, the house of Jacob, Declareth Yahweh. ⁹ For lo! I am giving command, and will sift, throughout all the nations, the house of Israel, - as grain is sifted in a sieve, yet shall there not fall a kernel, to the earth. ¹⁰ By the sword, shall die all the sinners of my people, - who say, The calamity, shall not overtake and close in before us.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

hide: Job 34:22, Jeremiah 23:23, Jeremiah 23:24

hid: Psalms 139:9-11, Jeremiah 16:16

the serpent: Isaiah 27:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:8 - hid Genesis 3:15 - enmity Exodus 7:10 - it became Numbers 21:6 - General Deuteronomy 32:24 - serpents 2 Samuel 17:14 - appointed 2 Samuel 22:46 - out 1 Kings 17:4 - I have commanded 1 Kings 18:19 - mount Carmel 1 Kings 20:30 - a wall Psalms 21:8 - General Proverbs 23:32 - biteth Ecclesiastes 10:8 - a serpent Jeremiah 8:17 - I will Jeremiah 49:10 - his secret Ezekiel 5:2 - I will draw Ezekiel 8:8 - General Amos 3:12 - so shall Nahum 3:11 - thou shalt be hid Luke 10:15 - which

Cross-References

Genesis 9:1
So God blessed Noah and his sons, - and said to them Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth;

Genesis 9:3
As for every moving thing that hath life, yours, shall it be, for food, - Like the green herb, have I given you all things.

Genesis 9:5
And surely your blood, of your lives, will I require, From the hand of every living creature, will I require it, - and from the hand of man From the hand of each ones brother, will I require the life of man:

Genesis 9:12
And God said, This, is the sign of the covenant which I am granting betwixt me and you, and every living soul that is with you, - to age-abiding generations: -

Genesis 9:14
and it shall be when I draw a veil of cloud over the earth, - and the bow in the cloud appeareth,

Genesis 9:15
then will I remember my covenant which is betwixt me and you, and every living soul among all flesh, - that the waters may no more become a flood, to destroy all flesh:

Genesis 9:21
and dank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself in the midst of his tent.

Genesis 9:22
And Ham the father of Canaan saw his father's shame, - and told his two brethren outside.

Genesis 9:25
And he said, Accursed be Canaan, - a servant of servants, shall he be to his brethren!

Genesis 9:26
And he said, Blessed be Yahweh, God of Shem, - And let Cantata he their servant:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel,.... One of the highest mountains in the land of Israel; in the woods upon it, and caves in it:

I will search and take them out from thence: by directing their enemies where to find them: so the Targum,

"if they think to be hid in the tops of the towers of castles, thither will I command the searchers, and they shall search them:''

and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea; get into ships, going by sea to distant parts; or make their escape to isles upon the sea afar off, where they may think themselves safe:

thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them; the dragon that is in the sea, Isaiah 27:1; the great whale in the sea, or the leviathan, so Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech; and is that kind of whale which is called the "Zygaena", as Bochart w thinks; and which he, from various writers, describes as very monstrous, horrible, and terrible, having five rows of teeth, and very numerous; and which not only devours other large fishes, but men swimming it meets with; and, having such teeth, with great propriety may be said to bite. It appears from hence that there are sea serpents, as well as land ones, to which the allusion is. Erich Pantoppidan, the present bishop of Bergen x, speaks of a "see ormen", or sea snake, in the northern seas, which he describes as very monstrous and very terrible to seafaring men, being of seven or eight folds, each fold a fathom distant; nay, of the length of a cable, a hundred fathom, or six hundred English feet; yea, of one as thick as a pipe of wine, with twenty five folds. Some such terrible creature is here respected, though figuratively understood, and designs some crafty, powerful, and cruel enemy. The Targum paraphrases it, though hid

"in the isles of the sea, thither will I command the people strong like serpents, and they shall kill them;''

see Psalms 139:9.

w Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 5. c. 13. p. 747. x Natural History of Norway, par. 2. p. 198, 199, 207.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He had contrasted heaven and hell, as places impossible for man to reach; as I David says, “If I ascend into heaven, Thou art there: If l make my bed in hell, behold Thee” Psalms 139:8. Now, of places in a manner accessible, he contrasts Mount Carmel, which rises abruptly out of the sea, with depths of that ocean which it overhangs. Carmel was in two ways a hiding place.

1) Through its caves (some say 1,000 , some 2,000) with which it is perforated, whose entrance sometimes scarcely admits a single man; so close to each other, that a pursuer would not discern into which the fugitive had vanished; so serpentine within, that, “10 steps apart,” says a traveler , “we could hear each others’ voices, but could not see each other.” : “Carmel is perforated by a hundredfold greater or lesser clefts. Even in the garb of loveliness and richness, the majestic Mount, by its clefts, caves, and rocky battlements, excites in the wanderer who sees them for the first time, a feeling of mingled wonder and fear. A whole army of enemies, as of nature’s terrors, could hide themselves in these rock-clefts.”

2) Its summit, about 1800 feet above the sea , “is covered with pines and oaks, and lower down with olive and laurel trees” . These forests furnished hiding places to robberhordes at the time of our Lord. In those caves, Elijah probably at times was hidden from the persecution of Ahab and Jezebel. It seems to be spoken of as his abode 1 Kings 18:19, as also one resort of Elishas 2 Kings 2:25; 2 Kings 4:25. Carmel, as the western extremity of the land, projecting into the sea, was the last place which a fugitive would reach. If he found no safety there, there was none in his whole land. Nor was there by sea;

And though they be hid - (rather, “hide themselves”) from My sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent The sea too has its deadly serpents. Their classes are few; the individuals in those classes are much more numerous than those of the land-serpents . Their shoals have furnished to sailors tokens of approaching land . Their chief abode, as traced in modern times, is between the Tropics .

The ancients knew of them perhaps in the Persian gulf or perhaps the Red Sea . All are “highly venomous” and “very ferocious.” : “The virulence of their venom is equal to that of the “most” pernicious land-serpents.” All things, with their will or without it through animal instinct, as the serpent, or their savage passions, as the Assyrian, fulfill the will of God. As, at His command, the fish whom He had prepared, swallowed Jonah, for his preservation, so, at His “command, the serpent” should come forth from the recesses of the sea to the sinner’s greater suffering.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Amos 9:3. Though they hide themselves — All these are metaphorical expressions, to show the impossibility of escape.