Ezekiel 36

A Promise of Restoration

Israel’s Mountains Reclaimed

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! Even the ancient heights have become our possession,”

3 therefore prophesy and say: This is what the Lord GOD says: Because they devastated and crushed you from every side, making you a possession for the rest of the nations and the subject of gossip and slander,

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 that became plunder and mockery to the surrounding nations.

5 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Surely in My blazing jealousy I have spoken against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who claimed My land as their own possession with wholehearted joy and deep contempt, so they could plunder its open pasture.’

6 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: This is what the Lord GOD says: Look, I have spoken in My jealousy and My fury because you have endured the insults of the nations.

7 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I swear that the nations around you will themselves endure insults.

8 But you, mountains of Israel, you will put out branches and bear fruit for My people Israel, for they are coming soon.

9 Look, I am for you, and I will turn toward you. You will be cultivated and sown.

10 I will multiply people on you, the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.

11 I will multiply people and animals on you, and they will increase and be fruitful. I will settle you as you were before and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

12 I will cause My people Israel to walk on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance. You will never again rob them of their children.

The LORD Defends His Name

13 This is what the Lord GOD says: Because they say to you, “You devour people and rob your nation of children?”

14 therefore you will no longer devour people or rob your nation of children, declares the Lord GOD.

15 I will no longer let you hear the insults of the nations, and you will not bear the disgrace of the peoples anymore. You will no longer cause your nation to stumble, declares the Lord GOD.

16 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their land, they defiled it by their ways and deeds. Their conduct before Me was like the impurity of a woman during her monthly period.

18 So I poured out My wrath on them because of the blood they shed on the land and because they 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 ways and deeds.

20 When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said about them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave His land.’

21 But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they went.

A New Heart and a New Spirit

22 Therefore say to the house of Israel: This is what the Lord GOD says: I am not doing this for your sake, house of Israel, but for My holy name, which you profaned among the nations where you went.

23 I will show the holiness of My great name, which was profaned among the nations, the name you profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when I show Myself holy through you before their eyes.

24 I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands, and 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 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 and carefully obey My ordinances.

28 You will live 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 make it plentiful and will not bring famine on you.

30 I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the produce of the field, so you will never again suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.

31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will hate yourselves for your iniquities and detestable practices.

32 It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD, let that be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, house of Israel.

The Land Renewed

33 This is what the Lord GOD says: On the day I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the ruins to be rebuilt.

34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by.

35 They will say, “This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden. The ruined, desolate, and destroyed cities are now fortified and inhabited.”

36 Then the nations that remain around you will know that I, the LORD, rebuilt the destroyed places and replanted the desolate land. 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 ask Me to do this for them, to multiply their people like a flock.

38 Like a flock for sacrifice, like the flock of 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.”