Ezekiel 36:1-37 TLB

[1] "Son of dust, prophesy to Israel's mountains. Tell them: 'Listen to this message from the Lord. [2] "'Your enemies have sneered at you and claimed your ancient heights as theirs; [3] they have destroyed you on every side and sent you away as slaves to many lands. You are mocked and slandered. [4] Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. He says to the hills and mountains, dales and valleys, and to the ruined farms and the long-deserted cities, destroyed and mocked by heathen nations all around: [5] My anger is afire against these nations, especially Edom, for grabbing my land with relish, in utter contempt for me, to take it for themselves.' [6] "Therefore prophesy and say to the hills and mountains, dales and valleys of Israel: 'This is what the Lord God says! I am full of fury because you suffered shame before the surrounding nations. [7] Therefore, I have sworn with hand held high that those nations are going to have their turn of being covered with shame, [8] but for Israel good times will return. There will be heavy crops of fruit to prepare for my people's return-and they will be coming home again soon! [9] See, I am for you, and I will come and help you as you prepare the ground and sow your crops. [10] I will greatly increase your population throughout all Israel, and the ruined cities will be rebuilt and filled with people. [11] Not only the people, but your flocks and herds will also greatly multiply. O mountains of Israel, again you will be filled with homes. I will do even more for you than I did before. Then you shall know I am the Lord. [12] My people will walk upon you once again, and you will belong to them again; and you will no longer be a place for burning their children on idol altars.'" [13] The Lord God says: "Now the other nations taunt you, saying, 'Israel is a land that devours her people!' [14] But they will not say this anymore. Your birthrate will rise, and your infant mortality rate will drop off sharply," says the Lord. [15] "No longer will those heathen nations sneer, for you will no longer be a nation of sinners," the Lord God says. [16] Then this further word came to me from the Lord: [17] "Son of dust, when the people of Israel were living in their own country, they defiled it by their evil deeds; to me their worship was as foul as filthy rags. [18] They polluted the land with murder and with the worshiping of idols, so I poured out my fury upon them. [19] And I exiled them to many lands; that is how I punished them for the evil way they lived. [20] But when they were scattered out among the nations, then they were a blight upon my holy name because the nations said, 'These are the people of God and he couldn't protect them from harm!' [21] I am concerned about my reputation that was ruined by my people throughout the world. [22] "Therefore say to the people of Israel, 'The Lord God says: I am bringing you back again, but not because you deserve it; I am doing it to protect my holy name, which you tarnished among the nations. [23] I will honor my great name, that you defiled, and the people of the world shall know I am the Lord. I will be honored before their eyes by delivering you from exile among them. [24] For I will bring you back home again to the land of Israel. [25] "'Then it will be as though I had sprinkled clean water on you, for you will be clean-your filthiness will be washed away, your idol worship gone. [26] And I will give you a new heart-I will give you new and right desires-and put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony hearts of sin and give you new hearts of love. [27] And I will put my Spirit within you so that you will obey my laws and do whatever I command. [28] "'And you shall live in Israel, the land which I gave your fathers long ago. And you shall be my people, and I will be your God. [29] I will cleanse away your sins. I will abolish crop failures and famine. [30] I will give you huge harvests from your fruit trees and fields, and never again will the surrounding nations be able to scoff at your land for its famines. [31] Then you will remember your past sins and loathe yourselves for all the evils you did. [32] But always remember this: It is not for your own sakes that I will do this, but for mine. O my people Israel, be utterly ashamed of all that you have done!'" [33] The Lord God says: "When I cleanse you from your sins, I will bring you home again to Israel, and rebuild the ruins. [34] Acreage will be cultivated again that through the years of exile lay empty as a barren wilderness; all who passed by were shocked to see the extent of ruin in your land. [35] But when I bring you back, they will say, 'This God-forsaken land has become like Eden's garden! The ruined cities are rebuilt and walled and filled with people!' [36] Then the nations all around-all those still left-will know that I, the Lord, rebuilt the ruins and planted lush crops in the wilderness. For I, the Lord, have promised it, and I will do it." [37] The Lord God says: "I am ready to hear Israel's prayers for these blessings and to grant them their requests. Let them but ask, and I will multiply them like the flocks that fill Jerusalem's streets at the time of sacrifice. The ruined cities will be crowded once more, and everyone will know I am the Lord."