PROMISE OF ISRAEL’S RESTORATION

14 The word of the Lord came to me again: 15 “Son of man, your own relatives, those who have the right to redeem your property,D,E along with the entire house of Israel—all of them—are those to whom the residents of Jerusalem have said, ‘You are far from the Lord; this land has been given to us as a possession.’

16 “Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Though I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for themaa in the countries where they have gone.’

17 “Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will gather you from the peoplesab and assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’

18 “When they arrive there, they will remove all itsac abhorrent actsad and detestable practices from it. 19 I will give them integrity ofF heartae and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stoneaf from their bodiesG and give them a heart of flesh,ag 20 so that they will follow my statutes,ah keep my ordinances, and practice them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.ai 21 But as for those whose hearts pursue their desire for abhorrent acts and detestable practices, I will bring their conduct down on their own heads.”aj This is the declaration of the Lord God.