Ezekiel 36:1–8

Hope for the Mountains of Israel

36“Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel^d and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. ²This is what the Sovereign Lord says:^e The enemy said of you, “Aha!^f The ancient heights^g have become our possession.^h” ’ ³Therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because they ravagedⁱ 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,^{j 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,^k to the desolate ruins^l and the deserted^m towns that have been plundered and ridiculedⁿ by the rest of the nations around you^o—⁵this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my burning^p 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.’^{q 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.^{r 7}Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I swear with uplifted hand^s that the nations around you will also suffer scorn.^t

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