Ezekiel 36:1-15

Restoration of Israel's Mountains

1 "Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say: Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord.^[a]

2 This is what the Lord God says: Because the enemy has said about you, 'Good!^[b] The ancient heights have become our possession,'

3 therefore, prophesy and say: This is what the Lord God says: Because they have made you desolate and have trampled you from every side, so that you became a possession for the rest of the nations and an object of people's 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, 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.

5 "This is what the Lord God says: Certainly in My burning zeal I speak against the rest of the nations and all of Edom, who took^[c] My land as their own possession with wholehearted rejoicing and utter contempt,^[d] so that its pastureland became^[e] plunder.

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 speak in My burning zeal^[f] because you have endured the insults of the nations.

7 Therefore this is what the Lord God says: I swear^[g] that the nations all around you will endure their own insults.

8 "You, mountains of Israel, will put forth your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel, since their arrival is near.

9 Look! I am on your side; I will turn toward you,^[h] and you will be tilled and sown.

10 I will fill you with people,^[i] with the whole house of Israel in its entirety. The cities will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.

11 I will fill you with people and animals, and they will increase and be fruitful.^[j] I will make you inhabited as you once were and make [you] better off than you were before. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

12 I will cause people, My people Israel, to walk on you; they will possess you, and you will be their inheritance. You will no longer deprive them of [their] children.^[k]

13 "This is what the Lord God says: Because people are saying to you: You devour men and deprive your nation of children,^[l]

14 therefore, you will no longer devour men and deprive your nation of children."^[m] [This is] the declaration of the Lord God .

15 "I will no longer allow the insults of the nations to be heard against you, and you will not have to endure the reproach of the peoples any more; you will no longer cause your nation to stumble."^[n] [This is] the declaration of the Lord God .

Ezekiel 36:1-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 36

This chapter is a prophecy concerning the desolations of the land of Israel, and the causes of them; of the return of the people to it, and the fruitfulness of it; and of spiritual blessings bestowed upon them in the latter day. And first, for the comfort of the people of Israel, it is observed that their enemies that insulted them will suffer the vengeance of God's wrath, particularly the Edomites, Eze 36:1-7, that the land of Israel should again become fruitful, its cities rebuilt, men and beasts be multiplied upon it, and be no more liable to destruction, nor bear any more the reproach of the Heathen, Eze 36:8-15, the causes of its desolation and destruction, the sins of its inhabitants, especially bloodshed, idolatry, and profanation of the name of God, Eze 36:16-20, nevertheless the Lord promises to have mercy on them, and return them to their own land, not for their sakes, but for his own name's sake, Eze 36:21-24, then follow promises of spiritual blessings to them: as purification from all sin by the blood of Christ; regeneration by his Spirit and grace; and evangelical obedience as the fruit of that, Eze 36:25-27, and others of a mixed kind, respecting partly temporal and partly spiritual blessings, Eze 36:28-36, for all which it is expected of the Lord that he should be prayed unto for them; particularly their inhabitation in their own land, and the multiplication of them in it, with which the chapter concludes, Eze 36:37,38.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ezk 6:1-7
• [b]. Ezk 26:2
• [c]. Lit gave
• [d]. Ezk 35:10,15
• [e]. Or contempt, to empty it of; Hb obscure
• [f]. Ezk 38:19
• [g]. Lit lift up My hand
• [h]. Nm 6:25
• [i]. Gn 1:28
• [j]. Lv 26:9
• [k]. Ezk 5:17; 14:15; Lv 26:22
• [l]. Nm 13:32
• [m]. Alt Hb tradition reads and cause your nation to stumble
• [n]. Some Hb mss, Tg read no longer bereave your nation of children