Prophecy to the Mountains of Israel
1 You, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, “You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord God says: Because the enemy has said against you, ‘Aha!’ and, ‘The ancient high places are our possession!’ 3 therefore prophesy and say that this is what the Lord God says: Because they have made you desolate, crushing you on every side, so that many nations might possess you, and you would be on the lips of gossipers and slanderers, 4 therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God:
The Lord God says to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, to the desolate wastelands and to the forsaken cities, which have become a prey and a mockery to the rest of the surrounding nations, 5 therefore the Lord God says: Surely in the fire of my jealousy I have spoken against the rest of the nations and against all of Edom, who have appointed my land as their possession, to plunder its pasturelands in joyful malice.
6 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and tell the mountains, the hills, the ravines and the valleys that this is what the Lord God says: I have spoken in my jealousy and in my wrath, because you have borne the shame of the nations. 7 Therefore the Lord God says: I have sworn, “Surely the nations that are around you will bear their shame.”
8 “But you, mountains of Israel, you shall sprout your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel, for they are coming home soon. 9 For I am for you, and I will come to you, and you will be plowed and planted. 10 I will multiply the people within you, the whole house of Israel–all of it. The cities will be inhabited, and the wastelands will be built up. 11 I will multiply the people and animals within you. They will increase and be fruitful. I will populate you as you were before, and you will do better than you did in your beginning. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 12 Yes, I will cause men to walk upon you, my people Israel. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance, and you will never again bereave them of their children.
13 The Lord God says: Because they say to you, “You are a devourer of men and have been a bereaver of your nation,” 14 therefore you shall no longer devour men or bereave your nation, says the Lord God. 15 I will not let you hear the shame of the nations any more. You will not bear the reproach of the peoples any more, and you will not cause your nation to stumble any more, declares the Lord God.’ ”
The Lord’s Holy Name
16 “Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 ‘Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and by their deeds. Their way before me was like the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity. 18 Therefore I poured out my wrath on them for the blood which they had poured out on the land and because they had defiled it with their idols.
19 I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. I judged them according to their way and according to their deeds. 20 When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name in that men said of them, “These are the Lord’s people and have left his land.” 21 But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.’ ”
A New Heart and Spirit
22 “Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord God says: I am not doing this for your sake, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. 23 I will set apart my great name as holy, which has been profaned among the nations and which you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when I am proven holy in you before their eyes.
24 For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries and will bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will keep my ordinances and do them.
28 You will dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. You will be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and will multiply it and lay no famine on you. 30 I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the increase of the field, that you may receive no more the reproach of famine among the nations.
31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. 32 I am not doing this for your sake, says the Lord God. Let it be known to you. Be stunned and ashamed of your ways, house of Israel.
33 The Lord God says: When I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the wastelands to be be built up. 34 The land that was desolate will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of all who passed by. 35 They will say, “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.”
36 Then the nations that are left around you will know that I, the Lord, have built up the ruins and planted that which was desolate. I, the Lord, have said it, and I will do it.
37 The Lord God says: For this, moreover, I will be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. I will increase their population like a flock. 38 Like a flock for sacrifice, like the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so the wastelands will be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’ ”