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)

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Restoration of Israel’s Mountains

36 “Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say: Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord.(A) This is what the Lord God says: Because the enemy has said about you, ‘Good!(B) The ancient heights(C) have become our possession,’ therefore, 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,(D) therefore, 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 plunder(E) and a mockery to the rest of the nations all around.

“This is what the Lord God says: Certainly in My burning zeal I speak against the rest of the nations and all of Edom,(F) who took[a] My land as their own possession with wholehearted rejoicing and utter contempt(G) so that its pastureland became[b] plunder. Therefore, prophesy concerning the land of Israel 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 zeal(H) because you have endured the insults of the nations. Therefore this is what the Lord God says: I swear[c] that the nations all around you will endure their own insults.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 36:5 Lit gave
  2. Ezekiel 36:5 Or contempt, to empty it of; Hb obscure
  3. Ezekiel 36:7 Lit lift up My hand