Hope for the Mountains of Israel

36 “Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel(A) and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says:(B) The enemy said of you, “Aha!(C) The ancient heights(D) have become our possession.(E)”’ Therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because they ravaged(F) and crushed you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people’s malicious talk and slander,(G) therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord: This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys,(H) to the desolate ruins(I) and the deserted(J) towns that have been plundered and ridiculed(K) by the rest of the nations around you(L) this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my burning(M) zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.’(N) Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations.(O) Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I swear with uplifted hand(P) that the nations around you will also suffer scorn.(Q)

“‘But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit(R) for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown,(S) 10 and I will cause many people to live on you—yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins(T) rebuilt.(U) 11 I will increase the number of people and animals living on you, and they will be fruitful(V) and become numerous. I will settle people(W) on you as in the past(X) and will make you prosper more than before.(Y) Then you will know that I am the Lord. 12 I will cause people, my people Israel, to live on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance;(Z) you will never again deprive them of their children.

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36 Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord:

Thus saith the Lord God; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession:

Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people:

Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about;

Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.

Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen:

Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame.

But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.

For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown:

10 And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:

11 And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

12 Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men.

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