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. ² This is what the Sovereign Lord says:^(B) The enemy said of you, “Aha!^(C) The ancient heights^(D) have become our possession.^(E)”’ ³ 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) 4} 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)— ⁵ 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) 6} 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) 7} Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I swear with uplifted hand^(P) that the nations around you will also suffer scorn.^(Q)

⁸ “‘But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit^(R) for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. ⁹ 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.

¹³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because some say to you, “You devour people^(AA) and deprive your nation of its children,” ¹⁴ therefore you will no longer devour people or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign Lord. ¹⁵ No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AB)’”

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^(AC) in my sight.^{(AD) 18} So I poured out^(AE) 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^(AF) through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions.^{(AG) 20} And wherever they went among the nations they profaned^(AH) my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’^{(AI) 21} I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.^(AJ)

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,^(AK) which you have profaned^(AL) among the nations where you have gone.^{(AM) 23} I will show the holiness of my great name,^(AN) which has been profaned^(AO) among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,^(AP) declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy^(AQ) through you before their eyes.^(AR)

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.^{(AS) 25} I will sprinkle^(AT) clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse^(AU) you from all your impurities^(AV) and from all your idols.^{(AW) 26} I will give you a new heart^(AX) and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone^(AY) and give you a heart of flesh.^{(AZ) 27} And I will put my Spirit^(BA) in you and move you to follow my decrees^(BB) and be careful to keep my laws.^{(BC) 28} Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people,^(BD) and I will be your God.^{(BE) 29} I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine^(BF) 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.^{(BG) 31} Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices.^{(BH) 32} I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed^(BI) and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!^(BJ)

³³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse^(BK) you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins^(BL) will be rebuilt.^{(BM) 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;^(BN) the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.^(BO)” 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.’^(BP)

³⁷ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Once again I will yield to Israel’s plea^(BQ) and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep,^{(BR) 38} as numerous as the flocks for offerings^(BS) 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.^(BT)”

³ The days^(A) are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring^(B) my people Israel and Judah back from captivity^[a] and restore^(C) them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.”

³³ This is what the Lord Almighty says:

⁷ I will bring Judah^(A) and Israel back from captivity^[a](B) and will rebuild^(C) them as they were before.^{(D) 8} I will cleanse^(E) them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive^(F) all their sins of rebellion against me. ⁹ Then this city will bring me renown,^(G) joy, praise^(H) and honor^(I) before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble^(J) at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’

¹⁰ “This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.”^(K) Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted,^(L) inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more ¹¹ the sounds of joy and gladness,^(M) the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings^(N) to the house of the Lord, saying,

For I will restore the fortunes^(Q) of the land as they were before,^(R)’ says the Lord.

¹² “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate^(S) and without people or animals^(T)—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.^{(U) 13} In the towns of the hill^(V) country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(W) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand^(X) of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord.

¹⁴ “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise^(Y) I made to the people of Israel and Judah.

¹⁷ For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail^(AG) to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, ¹⁸ nor will the Levitical^(AH) priests^(AI) ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.^(AJ)’”

¹⁹ The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁰ “This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day^(AK) and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time,^{(AL) 21} then my covenant^(AM) with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites^(AN) who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne.^{(AO) 22} I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless^(AP) as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’”

²³ The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁴ “Have you not noticed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two kingdoms^[c](AQ) he chose’? So they despise^(AR) my people and no longer regard them as a nation.^{(AS) 25} This is what the Lord says: ‘If I have not made my covenant with day and night^(AT) and established the laws^(AU) of heaven and earth,^{(AV) 26} then I will reject^(AW) the descendants of Jacob^(AX) and David my servant and will not choose one of his sons to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes^[d](AY) and have compassion^(AZ) on them.’”