Jezekiel 36

1 And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say to the mountains of Israel, Hear you the word of the Lord:

You, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, “You mountains of Israel, hear the LORD’s word.

2 Thus says the Lord God; Because the enemy has said against you, Aha, the old waste places are become a possession for us:

The Lord GOD says: ‘Because the enemy has said against you, “Aha!” and, “The ancient high places are ours in possession!”’

3 therefore prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord God; Because you have been dishonoured, and hated by those round about you, that you might be a possession to the remainder of the nations, and you became a byword, and a reproach to the nations:

therefore prophesy, and say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Because, even because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that you might be a possession to the residue of the nations, and you are taken up in the lips of talkers, and the evil report of the people;”

4 therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord; Thus says the Lord to the mountains, and to the hills, and to the streams, and to the valleys, and to [the places] that have been made desolate and destroyed, and to the cities that have been deserted, and have become a spoil and a trampling to the nations that were left round about;

therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: The Lord GOD says to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the cities that are forsaken, which have become a prey and derision to the residue of the nations that are all around;

5 therefore, thus says the Lord; Verily in the fire of my wrath have I spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Idumea, because they have appropriated my land to themselves for a possession with joy, disregarding the lives [of the inhabitants], to destroy [it] by plunder:

therefore the Lord GOD says: “Surely in the fire of my jealousy I have spoken against the residue of the nations, and against all Edom, that have appointed my land to themselves for a possession with the joy of all their heart, with despite of soul, to cast it out for a prey.”’

6 therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, and to the hills, and to the valleys, and to the forests, Thus says the Lord; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my wrath, because you have borne the reproaches of the heathen:

Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and tell the mountains, the hills, the watercourses and the valleys, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my wrath, because you have borne the shame of the nations.”

7 therefore I will lift up my hand against the nations that are round about you; they shall bear their reproach.

Therefore the Lord GOD says: “I have sworn, ‘Surely the nations that are around you will bear their shame.’

8 But your grapes and your fruits, O mountains of Israel, shall my people eat; for they are hoping to come.

“‘“But you, mountains of Israel, you shall shoot out your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel; for they are at hand to come.

9 For, behold, I am towards you, and I will have respect to you, and you shall be tilled and sown:

For, behold, I am for you, and I will come to you, and you will be tilled and sown.

10 and I will multiply men upon you, [even] all the house of Israel to the end: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the desolate land shall be built upon.

I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, even all of it. The cities will be inhabited and the waste places will be built.

11 And I will multiply men and cattle upon you; and I will cause you to dwell as at the beginning, and will treat you well, as in your former [times]: and you shall know that I am the Lord.

I will multiply man and animal on you. They will increase and be fruitful. I will cause you to be inhabited as you were before, and you will do better than at your beginnings. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

12 And I will increase men upon you, [even] my people Israel; and they shall inherit you, and you shall be to them for a possession; and you shall no more be bereaved of them.

Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, even my people Israel. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance, and you will never again bereave them of their children.”

13 Thus says the Lord God: Because they said to you, You [land] devour men, and have been bereaved of your nation;

“‘The Lord GOD says: “Because they say to you, ‘You are a devourer of men, and have been a bereaver of your nation;’

14 therefore you shall no more devour men, and you shall no more bereave your nation, says the Lord God.

therefore you shall devour men no more, and not bereave your nation any more,” says the Lord GOD.

15 And there shall no more be heard against you the reproach of the nations, and you shall no more bear the revilings of the peoples, says the Lord God.

“I won’t let you hear the shame of the nations any more. You won’t bear the reproach of the peoples any more, and you won’t cause your nation to stumble any more,” says the Lord GOD.’”

16 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

17 Son of man, the house of Israel lived upon their land, and defiled it by their way, and with their idols, and with their uncleannesses; and their way was before me like the uncleanness of a removed woman.

“Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and by their deeds. Their way before me was as the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity.

18 So I poured out my wrath upon them:

Therefore I poured out my wrath on them for the blood which they had poured out on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols.

19 and I dispersed them amongst the nations, and utterly scattered them through the countries: I judged them according to their way and according to their sin.

I scattered them amongst the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. I judged them according to their way and according to their deeds.

20 And they went in amongst the nations, amongst which they went, and they profaned my holy name, while it was said of them, These are the people of the Lord, and they came forth out of his land.

When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name, in that men said of them, ‘These are the LORD’s people, and have left his land.’

21 But I spared them for the sake of my holy name, which the house of Israel profaned amongst the nations, amongst whom they went.

But I had respect for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned amongst the nations where they went.

22 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord; I do not this, O house of Israel, for your sakes, but because of my holy name, which you have profaned amongst the nations, amongst whom you went.

“Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord GOD says: “I don’t do this for your sake, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have profaned amongst the nations where you went.

23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned amongst the nations, which you profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord, when I am sanctified amongst you before their eyes.

I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned amongst the nations, which you have profaned amongst them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am proven holy in you before their eyes.

24 And I will take you out from the nations, and will gather you out of all the lands, and will bring you into your own land:

“‘“For I will take you from amongst the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.

25 and I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be purged from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols, and I will cleanse you.

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

26 And I will give you a new heart, and will put a new spirit in you: and I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh.

I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my Spirit in you, and will cause you to walk in mine ordinances, and to keep my judgements, and do [them].

I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You will keep my ordinances and do them.

28 And you shall dwell upon the land which I gave to your fathers; and you shall be to me a people, and I will be to you a God.

You will dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

29 And I will save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and multiply it, and will not bring famine upon you.

I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and will multiply it, and lay no famine on you.

30 And I will multiply the fruit of the trees, and the produce of the field, that you may not bear the reproach of famine amongst the nations.

I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, that you may receive no more the reproach of famine amongst the nations.

31 And you shall remember your evil ways and your practices that were not good, and you shall be hateful in your own sight for your transgressions and for your abominations.

“‘“Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.

32 Not for your sakes do I [this], says the Lord God, [as] it is known to you: be you ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.

I don’t do this for your sake,” says the Lord GOD. “Let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, house of Israel.”

33 Thus says the Lord God; In the day wherein I shall cleanse you from all your iniquities I will also cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste [places] shall be built upon:

“‘The Lord GOD says: “In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the waste places will be built.

34 and the desolate land shall be cultivated, whereas it was desolate in the eyes of every one that passed by.

The land that was desolate will be tilled instead of being a desolation in the sight of all who passed by.

35 And they shall say, That desolate land is become like a garden of delight; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are inhabited.

They will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’

36 And the nations, as many as shall have been left round about you, shall know that I the Lord have built the ruined [cities] and planted the waste [lands]: I the Lord have spoken, and will do [it].

Then the nations that are left around you will know that I, the LORD, have built the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.”

37 Thus says the Lord God; Yet [for] this will I be sought by the house of Israel, to establish them; I will multiply them [even] men as sheep;

“‘The Lord GOD says: “For this, moreover, I will be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them: I will increase them with men like a flock.

38 as holy sheep, as the sheep of Jerusalem in her feasts; thus shall the desert cities be full of flocks of men: and they shall know that I [am] the Lord.

As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so the waste cities will be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”