¹You , son of man , prophesy to the mountains of Israel , and say , “You mountains of Israel , hear the LORD ’s word .

²The Lord GOD says : ‘Because the enemy has said against you , “Aha !” and , “The ancient high places are ours in possession !”’

³therefore prophesy , and say, ‘The Lord GOD says : “Because , even because they have made you desolate , and swallowed you up on every side , that you might be a possession to the residue of the nations , and you are taken up in the lips of talkers , and the evil report of the people ;”

⁴therefore , you mountains of Israel , hear the word of the Lord GOD : The Lord GOD says to the mountains and to the hills , to the watercourses and to the valleys , to the desolate wastes and to the cities that are forsaken , which have become a prey and derision to the residue of the nations that are all around ;

⁵therefore the Lord GOD says : “Surely in the fire of my jealousy I have spoken against the residue of the nations , and against all Edom, that have appointed my land to themselves for a possession with the joy of all their heart , with despite of soul , to cast it out for a prey.”’

⁶Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel , and tell the mountains , the hills , the watercourses and the valleys , ‘The Lord GOD says : “Behold , I have spoken in my jealousy and in my wrath , because you have borne the shame of the nations .”

⁷Therefore 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 shoot out your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel ; for they are at hand to come .

⁹For , behold , I am for you , and I will come to you , and you will be tilled and sown .

¹⁰I will multiply men on you , all the house of Israel , even all of it . The cities will be inhabited and the waste places will be built .

¹¹I will multiply man and animal on you . They will increase and be fruitful . I will cause you to be inhabited as you were before , and you will do better than at your beginnings . Then you will know that I am the LORD .

¹²Yes, I will cause men to walk on you , even 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 ;’

¹⁴therefore you shall devour men no more , and not bereave your nation any more ,” says the Lord GOD .

¹⁵“I won’t let you hear the shame of the nations any more . You won’t bear the reproach of the peoples any more , and you won’t cause your nation to stumble any more ,” says the Lord GOD .’”

¹⁶Moreover the LORD ’s word 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 as the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity .

¹⁸Therefore 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 .

¹⁹I scattered them amongst the nations , and they were dispersed through the countries. I judged them according to their way and according to their deeds .

²⁰When 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.’

²¹But I had respect for my holy name , which the house of Israel had profaned amongst the nations where they went .

²²“Therefore tell the house of Israel , ‘The Lord GOD says : “I don’t do this for your sake , house of Israel , but for my holy name , which you have profaned amongst the nations where you went .

²³I will sanctify my great name , which has been profaned amongst the nations , which you have profaned amongst them . Then the nations will know that I am the LORD ,” says the Lord GOD , “when I am proven holy in you before their eyes .

²⁴“‘“For I will take you from amongst the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.

²⁵I will sprinkle clean water on you , and you will be clean . I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols .

²⁶I will also give you a new heart , and I will put a new spirit within you . I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh , and I will give you a heart of flesh .

²⁷I will put my Spirit within you , and cause you to walk in my statutes . You will keep my ordinances and do them .

²⁸You will dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. You will be my people , and I will be your God .

²⁹I will save you from all your uncleanness . I will call for the grain and will multiply it , and lay no famine on you .

³⁰I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field , that you may receive no more the reproach of famine amongst 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 .

³²I don’t do this for your sake ,” says the Lord GOD . “Let it be known to you . Be ashamed and confounded for your ways , house of Israel .”

³³“‘The Lord GOD says : “In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities , I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the waste places will be built .

³⁴The land that was desolate will be tilled instead of being a desolation in the sight of all who passed by .

³⁵They will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden . The waste , desolate , and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited .’

³⁶Then the nations that are left around you will know that I , the LORD , have built the ruined places and planted that which was desolate . I , the LORD , have spoken it , and I will do it .”

³⁷“‘The Lord GOD says : “For this , moreover , I will be enquired of by the house of Israel , to do it for them : I will increase them with men like a flock .

³⁸As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts , so the waste cities will be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD .’”