CHAPTER 36
And you,
son
of man,
prophesy
to
the mountains
of Israel
and say,
‘O mountains
of Israel,
hear
the word
of the LORD.
This is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
Because
the enemy
has said
of you,
“Aha!
The ancient
heights
have become
our
possession,”
therefore
prophesy
and declare
that this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
Because
they have made you desolate
and have trampled
you
on every side,
so that you became
a possession
of the rest
of the nations
and were taken up
in slander
by
the lips
of their talkers,
therefore,
O mountains
of Israel,
hear
the word
of the Lord
GOD.’
This is what
the Lord
GOD
says
to the mountains
and hills,
to the ravines
and valleys,
to the desolate
ruins
and abandoned
cities,
which
have become
plunder
and a mockery
to the rest
of the nations
all around.
Therefore,
this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘Surely
in My burning
zeal
I have spoken
against
the rest
of the nations,
and against
all
of Edom,
who
took
My land
as their own possession
with wholehearted
joy
and with utter contempt,
so that
its pastureland
became plunder.'
Therefore,
prophesy
concerning
the land
of Israel
and tell
the mountains
and hills,
the ravines
and valleys,
that this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘Behold,
I have spoken
in My burning
zeal
because
you have endured
the reproach
of the nations.'
Therefore
this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘I
have sworn
with an uplifted hand
that surely
the nations
all around
you
will endure
reproach of their own.
But you,
O mountains
of Israel,
will produce
branches
and bear
fruit
for My people
Israel,
for
they will soon
come home.
I will multiply
the people
upon you
with the whole
house
of Israel
in its entirety.
The cities
will be inhabited
and the ruins
rebuilt.
I will fill
you with people
and animals,
and they will increase
and be fruitful.
I will make you inhabited
as you once were,
and I will make you prosper
more than before.
Then you will know
that
I
am the LORD.
Yes, I will cause
My people
Israel
to walk
upon you;
they will possess you,
and you will be
their inheritance,
and you will no
longer
deprive them of their children.’
For this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘Because
people say
to you,
“You
devour
men
and deprive your nation
of its children,”
therefore
you will no
longer
devour
men
or deprive
your nation of its children,
declares
the Lord
GOD.
I will no
longer allow
the taunts
of the nations
to be heard
against you,
and you will no
longer
endure
the reproach
of the peoples
or
cause your nation
to stumble,
declares
the Lord
GOD.’”
“Son
of man,
when the people
of Israel
lived
in
their land,
they defiled
it
by their own ways
and deeds.
Their behavior
before Me
was
like the uncleanness
of a woman in her monthly impurity.
So I poured out
My wrath
upon them
because of
the blood
they had shed
on
the land,
and because they had defiled
it with their idols.
I dispersed
them
among the nations,
and they were scattered
throughout the lands.
I judged them
according to their ways
and their deeds.
And wherever
they went
among the nations
they profaned
My holy
name,
because it was said
of them
‘These
are the people
of the LORD,
yet they had to leave
His land.’
But I had concern
for
My holy
name,
which
the house
of Israel
had profaned
among the nations
to which
they had gone.
Therefore,
tell
the house
of Israel
that this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘It is not
for your sake
that I
will act,
O house
of Israel,
but
for My holy
name,
which
you profaned
among the nations
to which
you went.
I will show the holiness
of My great
name,
which has been profaned
among the nations—
the name
you have profaned
among them.
Then the nations
will know
that
I
am the LORD,
declares
the Lord
GOD,
when I show My holiness
in you
before their eyes.
For I will take
you
from among
the nations
and gather
you
out of all
the countries,
and I will bring
you
back into
your own land.
I will also sprinkle
clean
water
on you,
and you will be clean.
I will cleanse
you
from all
your impurities
and all
your idols.
I will give
you
a new
heart
and put
a new
spirit
within you;
I will remove
your heart
of stone
and give
you a heart
of flesh.
And
I will put
My Spirit
within you
and cause
you to walk
in My statutes
and to carefully
observe
My ordinances.
Then you will live
in the land
that
I gave
your forefathers;
you will be
My
people,
and I
will be
your
God.
I will save
you
from all
your uncleanness.
I will summon
the grain
and make it plentiful,
and I will not
bring
famine
upon you.
I will also make the fruit
of the trees
and the crops
of the field
plentiful,
so that
you will no
longer
bear
reproach
among the nations
on account of famine.
Then you will remember
your evil
ways
and your deeds
that
were not
good,
and you will loathe
yourselves
for
your iniquities
and
abominations.
It is not
for your sake
that I
will act,
declares
the Lord
GOD—
let it be known
to you.
Be ashamed
and disgraced
for your own ways,
O house
of Israel!’
This is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘On the day
I cleanse
you
from all
your iniquities,
I will cause the cities
to be resettled
and the ruins
to be rebuilt.
The desolate
land
will be cultivated
instead of
lying
desolate
in the sight
of all
who pass through.
Then they will say,
“This
land
that was desolate
has become
like the garden
of Eden.
The cities
that were once ruined,
desolate,
and destroyed
are now fortified
and inhabited.”
Then the nations
around you
that
remain
will know
that
I,
the LORD,
have rebuilt
what was destroyed,
and I have replanted
what was desolate.
I,
the LORD,
have spoken,
and I will do it.’
This is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘Once again
I will hear the plea
of the house
of Israel
and do
for them
this:
I will multiply
their people
like a flock.
Like the numerous flocks
for sacrifices
at Jerusalem
during her appointed feasts,
so
the ruined
cities
will be
filled
with flocks
of people.
Then they will know
that
I
am the LORD.’”