1“Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of Yahweh.
2The Lord Yahweh says this: The enemy said about you, 'Aha! The ancient high places are ours to own.'
3Therefore, prophesy and say, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Because they made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side, so you would become property for the rest of the nations, and because people talk about you and spread evil rumors about you, '
4Therefore, you mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord Yahweh. The Lord Yahweh says this to the mountains, hills, watercourses, valleys, desolate wastes, and abandoned cities, which have become prey and a laughingstock to the surrounding nations.
5Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says this: Surely, in my burning anger, I have spoken against the rest of the nations and against all of Edom. With full hearts and contempt in their souls, they claimed my land as their own to plunder.
6Therefore, prophesy concerning the land of Israel and tell the mountains, hills, watercourses, and valleys, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Look, I have spoken in my intense anger and wrath because you have suffered the disgrace caused by the nations.'
7Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says this: I have sworn that the nations around you will surely suffer their own disgrace.
8But you, mountains of Israel, will grow your branches and produce your fruit for my people Israel, because they are about to return.
9Look, I am for you; I will turn to you, and you will be tilled and planted.
10I will increase the number of people on you—all the house of Israel, every single one of them. The cities will be inhabited, and the wasted places will be rebuilt.
11I will multiply people and animals on you; they will increase and be fruitful. I will make you inhabited as you were before, and you will do better than in your beginnings. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.
12Yes, I will cause people, my people Israel, to walk on you. They will take possession of you, and you will be their inheritance. From now on, you will no longer take their children from them.
13The Lord Yahweh says this: Because people say about you, 'You devour people and have taken away your nation's children, '
14Therefore, you will no longer devour people, nor will you take your nation's children away anymore, says the Lord Yahweh.
15I will no longer let you hear the disgrace of the nations. You will no longer bear the insults of the peoples. And you will no longer cause your nation to stumble, says the Lord Yahweh.
16Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
17Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their behavior and their actions. Their way of life before me was like a woman's uncleanness during her menstrual period.
18Therefore, I poured out my wrath on them because of the blood they had shed on the land and because they had defiled it with their idols.
19I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries. I judged them according to their behavior and their actions.
20When they went to the nations where they traveled, they profaned my holy name, because people said about them, 'These are the people of Yahweh, and they have left his land.'
21But I showed concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
22Therefore, tell the people of Israel that the Lord Yahweh says: I am not doing this for your benefit, people of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have dishonored among the nations wherever you went.
23I will make my great name holy again, which has been dishonored among the nations—the name you have shamed among them. Then the nations will know that I am Yahweh, says the Lord Yahweh, when I am shown to be holy through you before their eyes.
24For I will take you from among the nations, gather you from all the countries, and bring you back to your own land.
25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
26I will also give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove your stubborn heart of stone and give you a tender, responsive heart.
27I will put my Spirit in you and cause you to follow my laws and faithfully obey my commands.
28You will live in the land I gave to your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
29I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will command the grain to grow abundantly, and I will not let famine strike you.
30I will increase the fruit of the trees and the produce of the fields so that you will no longer suffer the shame of famine among the nations.
31Then you will remember your evil ways and your bad deeds, and you will loathe yourselves because of your sins and detestable acts.
32Understand this, says the Lord Yahweh: I am not doing this for your sake. Be ashamed and disgraced by your ways, people of Israel.
33The Lord Yahweh says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will make the cities inhabited again, and the ruined places will be rebuilt.
34The land that was desolate will be farmed, even though it was a wasteland in the eyes of everyone who passed by.
35People will say, 'This desolate land has become like the Garden of Eden! The cities that were ruined, desolate, and destroyed are now fortified and inhabited.'
36Then the nations remaining around you will know that I, Yahweh, have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted what was desolate. I, Yahweh, have spoken it, and I will do it.
37The Lord Yahweh says: I will also let the people of Israel ask me to do this for them: I will increase their population like a flock of sheep.
38Just as Jerusalem's flocks are abundant during her appointed feasts, so the ruined cities will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.