Ezekiel 36

1 “You, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say to the mountains of Israel, Hear the word of the Lord:” 2 “This is what the Lord God says: The enemy said about you, ‘Good! The ancient ruins have become our possession.’” 3 “Therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: You were dishonored and hated by everyone around you so that the remaining nations could possess you. You became a byword and disgrace among the nations.’” 4 “Therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says to the mountains and the hills, to the valleys and the streams, to the places left desolate and ruined, and to the deserted cities that have become plunder and a trampling-ground for the nations left all around.” 5 “‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: In the fire of my wrath I have spoken against the remaining nations and all Edom. They took my land as their possession with joy and disregarded its residents’ lives, plundering the land to destroy it.’” 6 “Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel. Say to the mountains and the hills, to the valleys and the glens: This is what the Lord says: Look, I have spoken in my jealousy and my wrath because you have borne the reproaches of the nations.” 7 “Therefore I will lift up my hand against the nations all around you. They will bear their own dishonor.” 8 “‘But, mountains of Israel, my people will eat your grapes and fruit, because they are soon to come.’” 9 “‘Look, I am for you and will look upon you. You will be tilled and sown.’” 10 “‘I will multiply people on you—the whole house of Israel to its fullest. The cities will be inhabited, and the desolate places rebuilt.’” 11 “‘I will multiply people and cattle on you, settle you as in the beginning, and treat you better than in former times. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 12 “‘I will increase people on you—my people Israel. They will inherit and possess you, and you will no longer be bereaved of them.’” 13 “‘This is what the Lord God says: People said to you, “You are a land that devours people, and you have been left childless by your own nation.”’” 14 “Therefore you will no longer devour men, and you will no longer bereave your nation, says the Lord God.” 15 “There will no longer be heard against you the reproach of the nations, and you will no longer bear the revilings of the peoples, says the Lord God.” 16 The word of the Lord came to me. 17 “‘Son of man, the house of Israel lived on its land and defiled it by its conduct, idols, and uncleanness. Their conduct before me was like a menstruating woman’s uncleanness.’” 18 “So I poured out my wrath on them.” 19 “I scattered them among the nations and dispersed them through the countries. I judged them according to their way and their sin.” 20 “‘They entered the nations where they went and treated my holy name as common. People said about them, “These are the Lord’s people, yet they came out of his land.”’” 21 “But I spared them for the sake of my holy name, which the house of Israel treated as common among the nations, among whom they went.” 22 “‘Therefore, tell the house of Israel, “This is what the Lord says: House of Israel, I am not acting for your sake but for my holy name, which you treated as common among the nations where you went.”’” 23 “I will make holy my great name, which was treated as common among the nations, which you treated as common among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord, when I am made holy among you before their eyes.” 24 “I will take you out of 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 from all your uncleannesses and from all your idols; I will make you clean.” † 26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” 27 “I will put my Spirit in you and cause you to walk in my rules, to keep my judgments and do them.” 28 “You will live on the land I gave your fathers. You will be my people, and I will be your God.” 29 “I will save you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I 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 bear the reproach of famine among the nations.” 31 “You will remember your evil ways and your practices that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your lawless deeds and your detestable things.” 32 “‘I am not doing this for your sake, says the Lord God. Understand this and be ashamed and humiliated by your conduct, house of Israel.’” 33 “This is what the Lord says: On the day I make you clean from all your lawless deeds, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt.” 34 “‘The desolate land will be cultivated, although everyone passing by had seen it lying desolate.’” 35 “They will say, ‘That desolate land has become like a garden of delight, and the ruined, desolate, demolished cities now sit fortified and settled.’” 36 “‘Then the nations remaining around you will know that I, the Lord, rebuilt the ruined cities and planted the wastelands. I, the Lord, have spoken and will act.’” 37 “‘This is what the Lord says: For this too I will let the house of Israel seek me, to do it for them: I will multiply their people like sheep.’” 38 “‘Like holy sheep and the flocks in Jerusalem during its feasts, the deserted cities will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”