EZEKIEL
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36 “As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of Yahweh!
2 ‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: Since the enemy says to you, “Aha!” and, “The age-old high places belong to us!”’ 3 then prophesy and say,
‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: Surely because you are ravaged and hunted from all directions – yes, you are a possession for the rest of the nations and the topic on everyone’s lips and in the people’s gossip. 4 Therefore, mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Supreme Lord Yahweh.
‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, and to the dry places now ravaged, and to the abandoned cities which are open to plunder and ridicule to the rest of the nations around about – 5 so here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: Haven’t I spoken in the fire of my jealousy against the rest of the nations and against Edom – all who have commandeered my land to use for themselves, with glee in every heart and contempt of soul, to plunder her pasture lands? 6 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys,
‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: Listen up! I speak in my jealousy and in my rage because you have been subjected to the abuse of the nations.
7 ‘So here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: I promise with my hand raised – Won’t the nations coming at you from around about be subjected to abuse themselves? 8 Yes you, mountains of Israel, will grow your branches and bear your fruit for my people Israel, for they are just about to come in. 9 Indeed look how I am for you! I have turned towards you and you will be cultivated and planted. 10 Yes I will multiply the population on you – the whole house of Israel, all of him. The cities will be occupied and the ruins rebuilt. 11 I will indeed multiply the people and animals on you; they will be numerous and fruitful. I will populate you as in your earlier times, and I will do more good than I have since your beginning. Then you will know that I am Yahweh. 12 I will bring people across you – my people Israel – and they will take you over. Then you will become their possession and you will no longer add to their bereavement.
13 ‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: Since some tell you, “You are a man-eater and make your nation bereaved,” 14 therefore you will no longer consume man and your nation will not be bereaved any more. This is the declaration of the Supreme Lord Yahweh. 15 Also I will no longer allow the nations’ abuse of you to be heard, nor will you continue to bear the peoples’ ridicule. Your nation will not fall any more. This is the declaration of the Supreme Lord Yahweh.’
16 Then the word of Yahweh came to me to say: 17 Son of man, while the house of Israel lived on their land they defiled her by their way of life and by their wantonness. In my sight their way of life was like the filthiness of a menstrual woman, 18 so I poured out my rage on them because of the blood they spilt on the land and the idols with which they polluted her. 19 Then I scattered them among the nations; they were dispersed through the lands. I judged them according to their way of life and their wantonness. 20 When they took their place there amongst the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name. It was said of them, “These are Yahweh’s people, yet they have gone out from his land!” 21 And I took pity on my holy name – he who the house of Israel profaned among the nations when they went there. 22 Therefore say to the house of Israel:
‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: I’m not doing this because of you, house of Israel, but rather for the name of my holiness which you profaned among the nations when you went there. 23 I will make my great name holy – the one profaned among the nations which you misrepresented in amongst them. Then the nations will know that I am Yahweh (this is a declaration of the Supreme Lord Yahweh) in my being made holy in you before their eyes. 24 So I will take you from the nations – yes I will gather you from all the lands – and I will bring you to your own soil. 25 And I will sprinkle pure water on you and you will be clean from all your filthiness and I will purify you from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and I will place a new spirit within you. Yes I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my Spirit within you and I will cause you to live according to my directions; yes, you will respect my judgements and carry them out. 28 Then you will settle in the land that I gave to your fathers – you will be a people to me and I myself will be Godhead to you 29 and I will save you from all your filthiness. I will call to the grain and I will multiply him, and I will not send you any famine. 30 In fact I will prosper the fruit of the trees and the produce of the field so that you will no longer suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will think back to your evil way of life, and your deeds which were no good, and disgust will be written across your face because of your offences and your atrocities. 32 I’m not doing this because of you, let that be known to you (this is a declaration of the Supreme Lord Yahweh)! Be ashamed and humiliated by your way of life, O house of Israel!
33 ‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: In the day I cleanse you from all your offences, I will populate your cities and the ruins will be rebuilt. 34 Also the ravaged land will be cultivated, instead of being a wasteland in the eyes of every passer-by. 35 And they will say, “This desolate land has become like the Garden of Eden, and the deserted, ravaged and levelled cities now stand impenetrable!” 36 Then the nations which are left around you will know that I, Yahweh, have rebuilt the ruined and planted the desolate. I, Yahweh, have spoken and I will do it!
37 ‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: In addition the house of Israel will ask me to do this for them: that I multiply them – a people like sheep. 38 Like consecrated sheep – as sheep of Jerusalem during her appointed feasts – likewise the deserted cities will be full of people like sheep. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.
36 “As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of Yahweh!
2 ‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: Since the enemy says to you, “Aha!” and, “The age-old high places belong to us!”’ 3 then prophesy and say,
‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: Surely because you are ravaged and hunted from all directions – yes, you are a possession for the rest of the nations and the topic on everyone’s lips and in the people’s gossip. 4 Therefore, mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Supreme Lord Yahweh.
‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, and to the dry places now ravaged, and to the abandoned cities which are open to plunder and ridicule to the rest of the nations around about – 5 so here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: Haven’t I spoken in the fire of my jealousy against the rest of the nations and against Edom – all who have commandeered my land to use for themselves, with glee in every heart and contempt of soul, to plunder her pasture lands? 6 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys,
‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: Listen up! I speak in my jealousy and in my rage because you have been subjected to the abuse of the nations.
7 ‘So here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: I promise with my hand raised – Won’t the nations coming at you from around about be subjected to abuse themselves? 8 Yes you, mountains of Israel, will grow your branches and bear your fruit for my people Israel, for they are just about to come in. 9 Indeed look how I am for you! I have turned towards you and you will be cultivated and planted. 10 Yes I will multiply the population on you – the whole house of Israel, all of him. The cities will be occupied and the ruins rebuilt. 11 I will indeed multiply the people and animals on you; they will be numerous and fruitful. I will populate you as in your earlier times, and I will do more good than I have since your beginning. Then you will know that I am Yahweh. 12 I will bring people across you – my people Israel – and they will take you over. Then you will become their possession and you will no longer add to their bereavement.
13 ‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: Since some tell you, “You are a man-eater and make your nation bereaved,” 14 therefore you will no longer consume man and your nation will not be bereaved any more. This is the declaration of the Supreme Lord Yahweh. 15 Also I will no longer allow the nations’ abuse of you to be heard, nor will you continue to bear the peoples’ ridicule. Your nation will not fall any more. This is the declaration of the Supreme Lord Yahweh.’
16 Then the word of Yahweh came to me to say: 17 Son of man, while the house of Israel lived on their land they defiled her by their way of life and by their wantonness. In my sight their way of life was like the filthiness of a menstrual woman, 18 so I poured out my rage on them because of the blood they spilt on the land and the idols with which they polluted her. 19 Then I scattered them among the nations; they were dispersed through the lands. I judged them according to their way of life and their wantonness. 20 When they took their place there amongst the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name. It was said of them, “These are Yahweh’s people, yet they have gone out from his land!” 21 And I took pity on my holy name – he who the house of Israel profaned among the nations when they went there. 22 Therefore say to the house of Israel:
‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: I’m not doing this because of you, house of Israel, but rather for the name of my holiness which you profaned among the nations when you went there. 23 I will make my great name holy – the one profaned among the nations which you misrepresented in amongst them. Then the nations will know that I am Yahweh (this is a declaration of the Supreme Lord Yahweh) in my being made holy in you before their eyes. 24 So I will take you from the nations – yes I will gather you from all the lands – and I will bring you to your own soil. 25 And I will sprinkle pure water on you and you will be clean from all your filthiness and I will purify you from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and I will place a new spirit within you. Yes I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my Spirit within you and I will cause you to live according to my directions; yes, you will respect my judgements and carry them out. 28 Then you will settle in the land that I gave to your fathers – you will be a people to me and I myself will be Godhead to you 29 and I will save you from all your filthiness. I will call to the grain and I will multiply him, and I will not send you any famine. 30 In fact I will prosper the fruit of the trees and the produce of the field so that you will no longer suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will think back to your evil way of life, and your deeds which were no good, and disgust will be written across your face because of your offences and your atrocities. 32 I’m not doing this because of you, let that be known to you (this is a declaration of the Supreme Lord Yahweh)! Be ashamed and humiliated by your way of life, O house of Israel!
33 ‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: In the day I cleanse you from all your offences, I will populate your cities and the ruins will be rebuilt. 34 Also the ravaged land will be cultivated, instead of being a wasteland in the eyes of every passer-by. 35 And they will say, “This desolate land has become like the Garden of Eden, and the deserted, ravaged and levelled cities now stand impenetrable!” 36 Then the nations which are left around you will know that I, Yahweh, have rebuilt the ruined and planted the desolate. I, Yahweh, have spoken and I will do it!
37 ‘Here’s what the Supreme Lord Yahweh says: In addition the house of Israel will ask me to do this for them: that I multiply them – a people like sheep. 38 Like consecrated sheep – as sheep of Jerusalem during her appointed feasts – likewise the deserted cities will be full of people like sheep. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.