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 2This is what the Lord God says: Because the enemy has said about you, “Aha!a The ancient heightsb have become our possession,” ’ 3therefore, 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,a 4therefore, 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 plundera 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,a who tookA my land as their own possession with wholehearted rejoicing and utter contemptb so that its pastureland becameB plunder. 6Therefore, prophesy concerning Israel’s land, 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 zeala because you have endured the insults of the nations. 7Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: I swearA that the nations all around you will endure their own insults.a

8“ ‘You, mountains of Israel, will produce your branchesa and bear your fruit for my people Israel, since their arrival is near. 9Look! I am on your side; I will turn toward you,a and you will be tilled and sown. 10I will fill you with people, with the whole house of Israel in its entirety.a The cities will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. 11I will fill you with people and animals,a and they will increase and be fruitful. 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.b 12I will cause people, my people Israel, to walk on you; they will possess you,a and you will be their inheritance. You will no longer deprive them of their children.

13“ ‘This is what the Lord God says: Because some are saying to you, “You devour people and deprive your nation of children,”a 14therefore, you will no longer devour people and deprive your nation of children.A This is the declaration of the Lord God. 15I 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 anymore;a you will no longer cause your nation to stumble.A This is the declaration of the Lord God.’ ”

Restoration of Israel’s People

16The word of the Lord came to me: 17“Son of man, while the house of Israel lived in their land, they defiled it with their conduct and actions.a Their behavior before me was like menstrual impurity.b 18So I poured out my wratha on them because of the blood they had shed on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols. 19I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered among the countries.a I judged them according to their conduct and actions.b 20When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name,a because it was said about them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, yet they had to leave his land in exile.’ 21Then I had concern for my holy name,a which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they went.

22“Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: It is not for your sake that I will act,a house of Israel, but for my holy name,b which you profaned among the nations where you went. 23I will honor the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations — the name you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord — this is the declaration of the Lord God — when I demonstrate my holiness through you in their sight.a

24“ ‘For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.a 25I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean.a I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.b 26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;a I will remove your heart of stoneA and give you a heart of flesh.b 27I will place my Spirit within youa and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.b 28You will live in the land that I gave your ancestors;a you will be my people, and I will be your God.b 29I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will summon the grain and make it plentiful, and I will not bring famine on you.a 30I will also make the fruit of the trees and the produce of the field plentiful, so that you will no longer experience reproach among the nations on account of famine.

31“ ‘You will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good,a and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and detestable practices.b 32It is not for your sake that I will acta — this is the declaration of the Lord God — let this be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, house of Israel!

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 will be rebuilt.a 34The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by. 35They will say, “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden.a The cities that were once ruined, desolate, and demolished are now fortified and inhabited.” 36Then the nations that remain around you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt what was demolished and have replanted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken and I will do it.a

37“ ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will respond to the house of Israel and do this for them:a I will multiply them in number like a flock.A 38So the ruined cities will be filled with a flock of people, just as Jerusalema is filled with a flock of sheep for sacrificeA during its appointed festivals. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’ ”