Israel’s Restoration Assured

16 Again the word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness(A) in my sight.(B) 18 So I poured out(C) my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. 19 I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered(D) through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions.(E) 20 And wherever they went among the nations they profaned(F) my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’(G) 21 I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.(H)

22 “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name,(I) which you have profaned(J) among the nations where you have gone.(K) 23 I will show the holiness of my great name,(L) which has been profaned(M) among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,(N) declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy(O) through you before their eyes.(P)

24 “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.(Q) 25 I will sprinkle(R) clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse(S) you from all your impurities(T) and from all your idols.(U) 26 I will give you a new heart(V) and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone(W) and give you a heart of flesh.(X) 27 And I will put my Spirit(Y) in you and move you to follow my decrees(Z) and be careful to keep my laws.(AA) 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people,(AB) and I will be your God.(AC) 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine(AD) upon you. 30 I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.(AE) 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices.(AF) 32 I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed(AG) and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!(AH)

33 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse(AI) you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins(AJ) will be rebuilt.(AK) 34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. 35 They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden;(AL) the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.(AM) 36 Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’(AN)

37 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Once again I will yield to Israel’s plea(AO) and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep,(AP) 38 as numerous as the flocks for offerings(AQ) at Jerusalem during her appointed festivals. So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(AR)

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16 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

17 Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman.

18 Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it:

19 And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.

20 And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his land.

21 But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.

22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.

23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

29 I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.

31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.

32 Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.

33 Thus saith the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.

34 And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.

35 And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.

36 Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it.

37 Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.

38 As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

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