Prophecy to the Mountains of Israel and of Israel’s Restoration

36 “And you, son of man,[fn] prophesy to the mountains of Israel; and so you must say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of Yahweh; 2 thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Because the enemy said concerning you, ‘Ah, and[fn] the ancient high places will be to us as a possession!’ ” ’ 3 Therefore prophesy, and you must say, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Because indeed[fn] when you were desolate,[fn] then they crushed you from all around, so that you became a possession to the remainder[fn] of the nations, and you became a byword and object of slander for the people.”[fn] 4 Therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Yahweh; thus says the Lord Yahweh to the mountains and to the hills, to the river channels and to the valleys and to the ruins that are desolate and to the cities that are abandoned and that have become as plunder and as scorn for the remainder[fn] of the nations that are from all around. 5 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Certainly[fn] in the fire of my passion I spoke against the rest of the nations and against all[fn] Edom, who made my land as a possession, because of[fn] its pastureland for plunder, for themselves in all of the joy of their whole heart and in their inner disdain.”[fn] 6 Therefore prophesy against the land of Israel, and you must say to the mountains and to the hills, to the river channels and to the valleys, thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Look! I spoke in my passion and in my anger the insult of the peoples you have endured.” 7 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: “I swear[fn] certainly[fn] that the nations that are all around you,[fn] they indeed will endure their disgrace.

8 “ ‘ “But you, mountains of Israel, your branch you will shoot, and your fruit you will carry[fn] for my people Israel, for they are soon to come. 9 For look! I am for you, and I will turn you, and you will be tilled, and you will be planted. 10 And I will cause your population[fn] to increase for you, all of the house of Israel, all of it, and the towns will be inhabited, and the ruins will be built. 11 And I will cause your population[fn] to increase for you, and domestic animals, even they will be numerous, and they will be fruitful, and I will cause you to be inhabited like your ancient times,[fn] and I will do good things more than in your former times, and you will know that I am Yahweh. 12 And I will send over you my people Israel, and they will take possession of you, and you will be for them as an inheritance, and you will no longer bereave them of their children.”[fn]

13 “ ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh, because they are saying to you, “You are an eater of humans,[fn] and you are one who makes childless[fn] your people.”[fn] 14 Therefore humans[fn] you will not eat any longer, and your nation you will not make childless[fn] any longer,” declares[fn] the Lord Yahweh. 15 “And I will not let you hear any longer the insult of the nations, and the disgrace of the peoples you will not bear any longer; you yourself will not cause your nation to stumble,” declares[fn] the Lord Yahweh.’ ”

16 And the word of Yahweh came[fn] to me, saying,[fn] 17 “Son of man,[fn] the house of Israel, they were dwelling on their soil, and they defiled it with their way and with their deeds; like the uncleanness of menstruation was their way before me.[fn] 18 And I poured out my rage on them for the blood that they poured on the land and for their idols with which they defiled it. 19 And I scattered them among the nations, and I dispersed them in the countries according to their way, and according to their deeds I judged them. 20 And they came[fn] into the nations to which they went,[fn] and they profaned my holy name[fn] when they said to them, ‘These are the people of Yahweh, and from his land they went out.’ 21 And I was concerned for my holy name,[fn] which, the house of Israel defiled among the nations to which they went.[fn]

22 “Therefore thus say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Not for your sake[fn] am I about to act, house of Israel, but[fn] for my holy name,[fn] which you defiled among the nations to which you went.[fn] 23 And I will consecrate my great name, which was profaned among the nations and which you have profaned in the midst of them, and the nations will know that I am Yahweh!” ’ a declaration of the Lord Yahweh, when I show myself holy[fn] before[fn] their eyes.

24 “ ‘And I will take you from the nations, and I will gather you from all of the lands, and I will bring you to your land. 25 And I will sprinkle on you pure water, and you will be clean from all of your uncleanness, and I will cleanse you from all of your idols. 26 And I will give a new heart to you, and a new spirit I will give[fn] into your inner parts, and I will remove the[fn] heart of stone from your flesh, and I will give to you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will give[fn] my spirit into your inner parts, and I will make it so that you will go[fn] in my rules, and my regulations you will remember, and you will do them. 28 And you will dwell in the land that I gave to your ancestors,[fn] and you will be to me as a people, and I will be to you as[fn] God. 29 And I will save you from all of your uncleanness, and I will call to the grain, and I will cause it to increase, and I will not bring famine upon you. 30 And I will cause the fruit of the tree and the crop of the field to increase, so that you will not suffer again the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 And you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourself[fn] over[fn] your iniquities and over your detestable things. 32 But not for your sake am I acting,” declares[fn] the Lord Yahweh. “Let it be known to you, be ashamed, and be put to shame because of your ways, house of Israel.

33 “Thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘On the day when I cleanse you from all of your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt. 34 And the land that was desolate will be cultivated in the very place that[fn] it was desolate before the eyes of all of the persons crossing over. 35 And they will say, “This desolate land[fn] has become like the garden of Eden, and the wasted and desolate and destroyed cities, now being refortified, are inhabited.” 36 And the nations who are left all around, you will know that I, Yahweh, I built that which was destroyed;[fn] I planted the desolate land; I, Yahweh, I have spoken, and I will act.’

37 “Thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Again this time I will let myself be inquired of[fn] by the house of Israel, to do something for them; I will cause them to increase their population like a flock.[fn] 38 Like the flock of the sanctuary, like the flock of Jerusalem at its festival, so the desolate cities will be filled with flocks[fn] of people; and they will know that I am Yahweh.’ ”