Ezekiel 36

1-15 Blessing on Israel

1-7 Ezekiel is to prophesy to the mountains that because Edom desolated Israel, making her an object of gossip and slander, plundering it for her pastureland, God speaks in his jealous wrath that the nations around will also suffer insults.

8-12 But Israel will soon come home and will shoot out its branches, be multiplied, inhabit towns, and God will do more good to them than ever before. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

13-15 No longer will you devour people or bereave your nation of children, bear insults of nations, bear disgrace, nor cause your nation to stumble.

16-37 The Renewal of Israel

16-22 When Israel was on their own soil, they defiled it with the blood they shed for idols, and I scattered them among the nations. They profaned my name, because people of other nations saw they were my people, but they had had to leave my land.

22-23 So for the sake of my name – not for you – will I sanctify my name, so I will display my holiness among you, so that they will know that I am the LORD.

24-28 So I will gather you from other nations, cleanse you, give you a new heart and a new spirit, and you will follow my laws and live in the land I gave your ancestors. You will be my people and I will be your God.

29-32 I will save you from your uncleanness, make your land abundant again, and you will be ashamed of your past ways, your shall loathe yourselves. I do not act for your sake.

33-36 When I cleanse you and inhabit your cities, passersby will admire a land that once was desolate and now looks like Eden, and the nations will know that I am the LORD.

37-38 I will let the house of Israel ask me to increase their population, like the flock during her festivals, and they shall know that I am the LORD.