Restoration of Israel’s Mountains
1“Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord.36:1 Ezk 6:2
2This is what the Lord God says: Because the enemy has said about you, “Aha!36:2 Ezk 25:3; 26:2 The ancient heights36:2 Dt 32:13 have become our possession,”’
5“‘This is what the Lord God says: Certainly in my burning zeal I speak against the rest of the nations and all of Edom,36:5 Dt 4:24 who took36:5 Lit gave my land as their own possession with wholehearted rejoicing and utter contempt36:5 Ezk 35:10,15 so that its pastureland became36:5 Or contempt, to empty it of; Hb obscure plunder.
8“‘You, mountains of Israel, will produce your branches36:8 Ezk 17:23 and bear your fruit for my people Israel, since their arrival is near.
10I will fill you with people, with the whole house of Israel in its entirety.36:10 Ezk 37:21–22 The cities will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.
13“‘This is what the Lord God says: Because some are saying to you, “You devour people and deprive your nation of children,”36:13 Nm 13:32
14therefore, you will no longer devour people and deprive your nation of children.36:14 Alt Hb tradition reads and cause your nation to stumble This is the declaration of the Lord God.
15I will no longer allow the insults of the nations to be heard against you, and you will not have to endure the reproach of the peoples anymore;36:15 Ezk 34:29 you will no longer cause your nation to stumble.36:15 Some Hb mss, Tg read no longer bereave your nation of children This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”
Restoration of Israel’s People
16The word of the Lord came to me:
17“Son of man, while the house of Israel lived in their land, they defiled it with their conduct and actions.36:17 Jr 2:7 Their behavior before me was like menstrual impurity.36:17 Lv 15:19
18So I poured out my wrath36:18 Ezk 16:36; 22:3 on them because of the blood they had shed on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols.
19I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered among the countries.36:19 Dt 28:64; Ezk 22:15 I judged them according to their conduct and actions.36:19 Rm 2:6
22“Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: It is not for your sake that I will act,36:22 Dt 9:5 house of Israel, but for my holy name,36:22 Ps 115:1; Is 43:25; 48:11; Ezk 20:9; Dn 9:18–19 which you profaned among the nations where you went.
23I will honor the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations — the name you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord — this is the declaration of the Lord God — when I demonstrate my holiness through you in their sight.36:23 Ezk 20:41; 38:23; 39:7,25
24“‘For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.36:24 Ezk 34:13; 37:21
25I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean.36:25 Ps 51:7; Heb 9:13,19; 10:22 I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.36:25 Jr 33:8
26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;36:26 Ezk 18:31; Jl 2:28 I will remove your heart of stone36:26 Lit stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.36:26 Dt 30:6; Ezk 11:19; 2Co 3:3
27I will place my Spirit within you36:27 Ezk 37:14 and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.36:27 Jr 24:7; 31:33; 32:40
28You will live in the land that I gave your ancestors;36:28 Ezk 37:23–25 you will be my people, and I will be your God.36:28 Ezk 34:30
29I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will summon the grain and make it plentiful, and I will not bring famine on you.36:29–30 Ezk 34:27,29
30I will also make the fruit of the trees and the produce of the field plentiful, so that you will no longer experience reproach among the nations on account of famine.
31“‘You will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good,36:31 Ezk 16:61–63 and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and detestable practices.36:31 Ezk 6:9; 20:43
33“‘This is what the Lord God says: On the day I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt.36:33 Ezk 36:10
34The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by.
37“‘This is what the Lord God says: I will respond to the house of Israel and do this for them:36:37 Ezk 14:3 I will multiply them in number like a flock.36:37 Lit flock of people
38So the ruined cities will be filled with a flock of people, just as Jerusalem36:38 2Ch 35:7–9 is filled with a flock of sheep for sacrifice36:38 Lit as the consecrated flock, as the flock of Jerusalem during its appointed festivals. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
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