36
1 You,
son of man,
prophesy to the
mountains of
Israel, and say,
“You mountains of
Israel, hear the
LORD’s word.
2 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, ‘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 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
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 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
the Lord GOD
says: “I have
sworn, ‘Surely the
nations that are
around you will
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.
9 For,
behold, I am
for you, and
I will come to
you, and you
will be tilled
and 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.
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.
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.”
13 “ ‘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 devour men
no more, and
not bereave your
nation any more,”
says the Lord
GOD.
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.’ ”
16 Moreover
the LORD’s word
came to 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.
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.
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.
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.’
21 But
I had respect
for my holy
name, which the
house of Israel
had profaned among
the nations where
they went.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
27 I
will put my
Spirit within you,
and cause you
to walk in
my statutes. You
will keep my
ordinances 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
34 The land
that was desolate
will be tilled
instead of being
a desolation in
the sight of
all who passed
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.’
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.”
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.
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.’ ”