Ezekiel

To the Mountains of Israel

“Son of man, prophesy about the mountains of Israel and say: Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord:

Thus says the Lord God: Your enemies have said: ‘Aha! These eternal heights have become our possession.’

Therefore, prophesy and say: Thus says the Lord God: People have envied you and ravaged you from all sides; other nations have taken control of you so that you become the subject of talk and gossip. Because of that,

mountains of Israel, listen to this word of the Lord: The Lord says to the mountains, the hills, the ravines, and the valleys, to the deserted ruins and empty towns, which have become the spoil and the target of mockery for surrounding nations:

Truly, in the fire of my jealousy, I will speak against the other nations, especially Edom, who, with glee and malice in their hearts, have taken control of my land and plundered its pastures.

Now, you will prophesy concerning Israel: Say to the mountains, the hills, the ravines, and the valleys: This is the word of the Lord, who speaks in the fury of his jealousy! Because you have endured the scorn of the nations,

the Lord says: I swear with uplifted hand, the surrounding nations will suffer shame.

But you, mountains of Israel, you will sprout your branches and produce fruit for my people Israel, for they will return soon.

Indeed, I have turned toward you and bent down to you; you will be cultivated and sown with seed.

I will increase your population throughout Israel; the towns will be inhabited, and the ruins rebuilt.

Both people and animals will increase; they will be fruitful and multiply. I will restore their numbers as before, and they will know that I am the Lord.

Men and women of Israel will walk on you again. They will take possession of you; you will be their inheritance once more, and never again will you let their children perish.

The Lord says: “People say that you devour men and that you rob your people of children.

But never again shall you devour men or rob your people of children—word of the Lord.

You will no longer hear the mockery of the nations or suffer the insults of other lands—word of the Lord.”

Punishment and Reconciliation

The word of the Lord came to me:

“Son of man, when Israel occupied her own land, she defiled it through her way of life and her actions. To me, her conduct was like the uncleanness of a woman in her period.

I poured out my fury on them because of the blood they shed in the land, and because they defiled it with their filthy idols.

Then I scattered them among the nations and dispersed them in other lands. I judged them based on their conduct and actions.

But when they were taken to other nations, my holy name was profaned because others said of them: ‘The people of the Lord had to be exiled from his land!’

Then I was concerned for my holy name, profaned by Israel among the nations where she had been dispersed. Now you shall say to the people of Israel:

My actions are not for your benefit but because of my holy name, which you have profaned in the places you’ve gone.

I will reveal the holiness of my great name, which has been desecrated among the nations because of you, and they will know that I am the Lord when I display my holiness among you.

I will gather you from all the nations and bring you back to your land.

Then I will pour clean water over you, and you will be made clean—cleansed from all your idols’ defilement.

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.

I will put my Spirit within you and move you to follow my decrees and keep my laws.

You will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

I will free you from all your uncleanness. I shall bring forth abundant wheat to keep famine away from you.

I will ensure that the fruits of the earth and the fields’ produce are plentiful so that you no longer suffer the shame of famine among the nations.

Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked actions, and you will loathe yourselves for the sins you committed and for your detestable practices.

I want you to know that it is not for your sake that I am doing this, declares the Lord. Be ashamed and humbled because of your conduct, Israel!

This is what the Lord says: When I cleanse you from all your sins, I will restore the cities, and the ruins will be rebuilt.

The devastated land will be cultivated wherever passersby see it as desolate.

Everyone will say, ‘This devastated land is now a garden of Eden, and its cities, once in ruins and leveled to the ground, have been rebuilt and filled with people.’

The surrounding nations will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined city and replanted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.

Thus says the Lord: Once again I will listen to the plea of Israel and show them favor.

I will make their people as numerous as sheep, as numerous as the flock they bring to Jerusalem’s temple during her holy days. Likewise, the ruined cities will be filled with flocks of people, and they will know that I am the Lord.