Ezekiel 36
1 “And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD.
2 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because the enemy said about you, “Aha! The ancient high places have become ours to possess.”’
3 So prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “Because they laid you waste and crushed you on every side, so that you would become the possession of the nations that remained, and you became the subject of talk and slander among the people.
4 Therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD. This is what the Lord GOD says to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, the desolate ruins and abandoned cities, which became plunder and mockery for the nations that remained all around.
5 Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Surely, in the fire of my jealousy I have spoken against the nations that remained and against all Edom. They claimed my land as their possession with wholehearted joy and contempt, intending to plunder its pastureland.’
6 Therefore prophesy about the soil of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys: This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Here I am; in my jealousy and fury I have spoken, because you have borne the humiliation inflicted by the nations.’
7 Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I have raised my hand and sworn: The nations around you will themselves bear their humiliation.’
8 But you, mountains of Israel, will put forth your branches and bear your fruit for my people Israel, because they are about to return.
9 For I am for you, and I will turn toward you, and you will be cultivated and sown.
10 I will multiply people upon you, the whole house of Israel. The cities will be inhabited, and the ruins rebuilt.
11 I will multiply people and animals upon you, and they will increase and be fruitful. I will settle you as in former times and do more good for you than at the beginning. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
12 I will cause people to walk upon you—my people Israel. They will take possession of you, and you will be their inheritance; you will no longer bereave them of their children.
13 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because they say to you, “You devour people and have left your nation childless.”’
14 “‘“Therefore you will no longer devour people or leave your nation childless,” declares the Lord GOD.
15 “I will no longer make you hear the humiliation of the nations, you will no longer bear the taunts of the peoples, and you will no longer cause your nation to stumble,” declares the Lord GOD.’”
16 The word of the LORD came to me:
17 “Son of man, the house of Israel lived in its own land, but they defiled it by their conduct and their deeds. Their conduct before me was like the impurity of a woman during her period.
18 So I poured out my fury on them because of the blood they had shed on the land and because they had defiled it with their idols.
19 I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the lands. I judged them according to their conduct and their deeds.
20 When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name, because people said of them, ‘They are the people of the LORD, yet they have come out of his land.’
21 But I had compassion for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
22 Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “It is not for your sake that I am acting, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you profaned among the nations where you went.
23 I will make my great name holy—the name profaned among the nations, which you profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I show my holiness through you before their eyes.
24 I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring you to your own soil.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.”’”
26 “‘“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, keep my ordinances, and carry them out.
28 You will live in the land I gave to your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
29 I will save you from all your impurities. I will call for the grain and make it abundant, and I will not bring famine upon you.
30 I will increase the fruit of the trees and the produce of the fields, so that you will no longer suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.
31 You will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves because of your guilt and your detestable practices.
32 It is not for your sake that I am acting,” declares the Lord GOD. “Let that be clear to you: be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, house of Israel.”’
33 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘On the day I cleanse you from all your guilt, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt.
34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by.
35 Then people will say, “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the ruined, desolate, and demolished cities are fortified and inhabited.”
36 Then the nations that remain around you will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt what was demolished and replanted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it.’
37 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will also let the house of Israel seek me for this: to do it for them. I will multiply them like a flock of people.
38 Like the flock set apart as holy, like the flock in Jerusalem during its appointed festivals, so the ruined cities will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
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