Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD:
Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD:
What now follows refers to the yet future Restoration of the People and Land of Israel and Judah, as shown in the Structure above.
son of man . See note on Ezekiel 2:1 ,
mountains of Israel. See Ezekiel 6:1-7 ; Ezekiel 36:1 .
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 ,
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession:
the Lord GOD. Hebrew. Adonai Jehovah . See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .
the enemy . Note the Structure above.
hath said . The 1611 edition of the Authorized Version reads "had said"
the ancient high places = the everlasting hills, promised to Israel (Genesis 49:26 . Deuteronomy 13:13 ; Deuteronomy 33:15 ).
Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people:
Because = Because, even because. Figure of speech Epizeuxis . App-6 .
swallowed you up . Like a beast of prey. Compare Job c. e. Psalms 56:1 , Psalms 56:2 ; Psalms 57:3 .Ecclesiastes 10:12 .
are = have been.
infamy = evil report.
Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about;
hear . Figure of speech Apostrophe . App-6 .
to the mountains, &c. Note the Figure of speech Merismos ( App-6 ).
rivers = torrents, or ravines. Hebrew. aphikim . See note on "channels", 2 Samuel 22:15 .
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.
fire of My jealousy . Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 4:24 ),
heathen = nations.
Idumea = Edom,
minds = souls. Hebrew. nephesh . App-18 ,
Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen:
the land of Israel = the soil of Israel. See note on Ezekiel 11:17 . Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos . App-8 .
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame.
lifted up Mine hand = sworn. Hebrew idiom. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 6:8 . Numbers 14:30 . Deuteronomy 32:40 ). Compare Daniel 12:7 . Elsewhere only in Pentateuch. See Genesis 14:22 , and Ezekiel 20:5 ,
heathen = nations.
that are = which are yours; referring to "ours" in Ezekiel 36:2 .
But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.
For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown:
And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:
men. Hebrew ' adam . App-14 .
And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
old = former.
ye shall know , &c. See note on Ezekiel 6:7 .
Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men.
bereave , &c. = make childless.
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they say unto you, Thou land devourest up men, and hast bereaved thy nations;
Thou land devourest, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 13:32 ). App-92 .
Therefore thou shalt devour men no more, neither bereave thy nations any more, saith the Lord GOD.
bereave . Hebrew text reads "cause to fall"; but margin reads "make childless". Some codices, with three early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "make childless" (text and margin)
saith the Lord GOD = [is] Adonai Jehovah's oracle,
Neither will I cause men to hear in thee the shame of the heathen any more, neither shalt thou bear the reproach of the people any more, neither shalt thou cause thy nations to fall any more, saith the Lord GOD.
the people = peoples.
thy. The 1611 edition of the Authorized Version reads "the".
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman.
land = soil.
they defiled it , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 15:19 ; Leviticus 18:25 , Leviticus 18:27 , Leviticus 18:30 . Numbers 35:33 , Numbers 35:34 ). App-92 .
as the uncleanness , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 15:19 ; Leviticus 15:18 , Leviticus 15:19 , &c.)
Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it:
I poured, &o. Sea Ezekiel 7:8 ; Ezekiel 7:14 , Ezekiel 7:19 ; Ezekiel 21:31 . Compare 2 Chronicles 34:21 , 2 Chronicles 34:25 .Jeremiah 7:20 ; Jeremiah 44:6 , &c.
idols = dirty idols
And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.
I scattered , &c. See Ezekiel 5:12 ; Ezekiel 22:15 . Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:33 .Deuteronomy 28:64; Deuteronomy 28:64 ). App-92 .
according to their way . See Ezekiel 7:3 , Ezekiel 7:8 ; Ezekiel 18:30 ; Ezekiel 22:31 ; Ezekiel 39:24 .
And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.
they. Hebrew text reads "he", or "it". A special various reading called Sevir ( App-34 ), and some codices, with Aramaic, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "they".
profaned, &c. Ref to Pentateuch (Leviticus 19:12 , &c.) App-92 .
holy . See note on Exodus 3:5 .
name. See note on Psalms 20:1 .
they said to them: i.e. men said of Israel.
gone = come.
But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.
I had pity, &c. See Ezekiel 20:9 , Ezekiel 20:14 , Ezekiel 20:22 .
Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
not . . . for your sakes, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 7:7 , Deuteronomy 7:8 ; Deuteronomy 9:5-7 ). App-92 . Compare Psalms 106:8 ; Psalms 115:1 , Psalms 115:2 .
And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
I will sanctify, &c. The opposite of the profanation of Ezekiel 36:20 .
shall know. See note on Ezekiel 6:10 .
in you. So in the Babylonian Codex; but some codices, with Codex Hillel and three early printed editions (one in margin), read "in them".
their. The Babylonian Codex, Codex Hillel, and other codices, with nine early printed editions (one Rabbinic, in margin), read "your".
For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
will bring you, &c. Compare Ezekiel 11:17 ; Ezekiel 34:13 ; Eze 34:37 , Ezekiel 34:21 , Ezekiel 34:25 ; Ezekiel 39:27 , Ezekiel 39:28 , &c. Ref to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 30:3-6 ). App-92 . into your own land on to your own soil. Hebrew 'ado:oeh. Not the some word as in Ezekiel 36:28 .
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Then . Note the time for the fulfilment of this prophecy. Not now, among the Gentiles; not now, in the Church of God; but, when Israel shall be brought back "into their own land" (verses: Ezekiel 36:16-24 ). Note the "you . . . ye . . . your", &c., of verses: Ezekiel 36:25-29 . Observe the importance of this word "Then" in other passages. See notes on Exodus 17:8 . Malachi 3:4 , Malachi 3:16 . Matthew 25:1 . 1 Thessalonians 4:17 , &c.
sprinkle = throw. See Leviticus 1:5
water. See Isaiah 44:3 .
you . . . ye . . . your. The same People referred to Isa 44:25-29 as in or Ezekiel 16:17 . See the Structure, p. 1167.
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
new heart . Not the old heart improved, but a new heart created and "given". The old one "taken away".
spirit. Hebrew. ruach . App-9 .
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
statutes . . . judgments. Reference to Pentateuch. See note on Deuteronomy 4:1 . App-92 .
And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
land. Hebrew ' eretz . Not the same word as in Ezekiel 36:24 . ye: i.e. the People who are the subject of these verses. See note on "Then", Ezekiel 36:25 .
be My People = become to Me a people. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:12 ).
be your God = become to you it God.
God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .
I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.
the corn, &c. Pointing to the physical blessings.
And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.
reproach, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 29:23-28 ). App-92 . Compare Joel 2:17 , Joel 2:26 .
Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
shall ye remember. See Ezekiel 6:9 ; Ezekiel 16:61-63 ; Ezekiel 20:43 .
evil . Hebrew. ra a'. App-44 .
iniquities. Hebrew. 'raa , App-44 .
abominations: i.e. idolatries.
Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.
be ashamed. Compare Ezekiel 16:63 .
Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.
In the day that = When. See App-18 .
cause you to dwell, &c. = cause the cities to be inhabited.
And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.
And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.
like the garden of Eden . Ref, to Pentateuch (Genesis 2:8-15 ). See note on Ezekiel 28:13 .
fenced = fortified.
Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.
Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.
yet . . . be enquired of : i.e. the time shall come when they will ask for what they had in the past despised.
As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
As the holy flock = Like a flock of holy offerings.
solemn feasts = appointed seasons.