< Ezekiel 36 >

1 You, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, “You mountains of Israel, hear the LORD’s word.
But thou, son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, O mountains of Israel, hear ye the word of the Lord.
2 The Lord GOD says: ‘Because the enemy has said against you, “Aha!” and, “The ancient high places are ours in possession!”’
Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Because the enemy hath said regarding you, Aha, even the ancient high-places are become ours as a possession:
3 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;”
Therefore prophesy and say, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Because, even because men have made you desolate, and sought to swallow you up on every side, that ye might become a possession unto the residue of the nations, and ye are taken up as a talk for tongues, and an evil report of the people:
4 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;
Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear ye the word of the Lord Eternal, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal to the mountains, and to the hills, to the ravines, and to the valleys, to the desolate ruins, and to the cities that are forsaken, which are become a prey and derision to the residue of the nations that are round about:
5 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.”’
Therefore thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the nations, and against all Idumea, that have appropriated my land unto themselves as a possession with the joy of all their heart, with derision in their soul, in order to drive it out that it may be for a prey.
6 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.”
Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the ravines, and to the valleys, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Behold, In my zealousness and in my fury have I spoken, because ye have borne the reproach of the nations:
7 Therefore the Lord GOD says: “I have sworn, ‘Surely the nations that are around you will bear their shame.’
Therefore thus hath said the Lord Eternal, I have indeed lifted up my hand, that the nations who are round about you— these shall bear their shame.
8 “‘“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.
But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall send forth your boughs, and your fruit shall ye bear for my people Israel, for they are near at hand to come.
9 For, behold, I am for you, and I will come to you, and you will be tilled and sown.
For, behold, I will be for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and ye shall be sown;
10 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.
And I will multiply upon you men, all the house of Israel— altogether; and the cities shall be inhabited again, and the ruins shall be rebuilt;
11 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.
And I will multiply upon you men and beast, and they shall increase and be fruitful; and I will cause you to be inhabited after your old estates, and will do more good unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
12 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.”
Yea, I will cause to walk upon you men, even my people Israel, and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be unto them as an inheritance, and thou shalt not any more henceforth cast them out.
13 “‘The Lord GOD says: “Because they say to you, ‘You are a devourer of men, and have been a bereaver of your nation;’
Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Because they say unto you, Thou land devourest up men, and hast been one that hath ever cast out thy nations:
14 therefore you shall devour men no more, and not bereave your nation any more,” says the Lord GOD.
Therefore shalt thou not devour up men any more, and thy nations shalt thou not cast out any more, saith the Lord Eternal.
15 “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.’”
And I will not let be heard against thee any more the reproach of the nations, and the disgrace of the people shalt thou not bear any more, and thy nations shalt thou not cast out any more, saith the Lord Eternal.
16 Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
17 “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.
Son of man, the house of Israel, when they dwelt in their own land, defiled it through their way and through their doings: like the uncleanness of a woman in her separation was their way before me.
18 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.
And I poured out my fury over them because of the blood that they had shed in the land, and because through their idols they had polluted it;
19 I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. I judged them according to their way and according to their deeds.
And I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings did I judge them.
20 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.’
And when they were come unto the nations, whither they were gone, they profaned my holy name; because they said of them, These are the people of the Lord, and out of his land are they gone forth.
21 But I had respect for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
But I had pity for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations, whither they were gone.
22 “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 among the nations where you went.
Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Not for your sake do I this, O house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy name, which ye have profaned among the nations, whither ye are gone.
23 I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among 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.
And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the nations, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord Eternal, when I will be sanctified through you before your eyes.
24 “‘“For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.
And I will take you from among the nations, and I will gather you out of all the countries, and I will bring you unto your own land.
25 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.
And I will sprinkle upon you clean water, and ye shall be clean: from all your impurities, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 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.
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will remove the heart of stone out of your body, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
27 I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You will keep my ordinances and do them.
And my spirit I will put within you, and I will cause that you shall walk in my statutes, and that my ordinances ye shall keep, and do them.
28 You will dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
And ye shall dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be unto me for a people, and I truly will be unto you as a God.
29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and will multiply it, and lay no famine on you.
And I will save you from all kinds of your impurities; and I will call unto the corn, and increase it, and I will not lay famine upon you.
30 I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, that you may receive no more the reproach of famine among the nations.
And I will multiply the fruit of the trees, and the products of the field: in order that ye may receive no more reproach on account of famine among the nations.
31 “‘“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.
Then shall ye remember your ways that they were evil, and your doings that were not good; and ye shall loathe yourselves on account of your iniquities and on account of your abominations.
32 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.”
Not for your sake do I this, saith the Lord Eternal, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded because of your ways, O house of Israel.
33 “‘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.
Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, On the day of my cleansing you from all your iniquities, when I cause the cities to be inhabited, and when the ruins are built up,
34 The land that was desolate will be tilled instead of being a desolation in the sight of all who passed by.
And when the desolate land is tilled, instead that it was a waste before the eyes of every passer by:
35 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.’
Then shall they say, This land, that was desolate, is become like the garden of 'Eden; and the cities that were ruined, and desolate, and broken down, are become fortified, and inhabited.
36 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.”
And the nations that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord have built up the broken-down [places], have planted the desolate [land]: I the Lord have spoken this, and have done it.
37 “‘The Lord GOD says: “For this, moreover, I will be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them: I will increase them with men like a flock.
Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Also in this will I yet suffer myself to be entreated of by the house of Israel, to do it for them, I will increase them with men like flocks [in multitude].
38 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.’”
As the flocks of the holy things, as the flocks of Jerusalem on her appointed feasts, so shall the ruined cities be full of flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

< Ezekiel 36 >