Ezekiel 36:16-38

YAHWEH spoke to me this message: “Son of man, the Israelites defiled their own land when they lived there. In my eyes, their conduct was as unclean as a woman’s menstruation. So I vented my fury on them because of the violence and murders they had committed in the land and because of their worship of idols, which defiled the land. I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered throughout different countries. I judged them as their actions and conduct deserved. When my people were scattered to other lands, they dishonored my holy name in front of those nations. The people said of them, ‘Look! These are the people of YAHWEH who have been forced out of his land.’ But I have been greatly concerned about my holy name, which the people of Israel have dishonored among the nations where they have gone. Therefore, say to the people of Israel what I, Lord YAHWEH, say: ‘I will not take action for your sake, people of Israel, but for the sake of the honor of my holy name, which you have caused to be slandered among the nations wherever you have gone. I am going to magnify the holiness of my great name, which you have greatly dishonored before the eyes of foreign nations. And when I magnify my holiness in you before their eyes, the nations will know that I am YAHWEH. I, Lord YAHWEH, have spoken.’ ” “ ‘I will take you from every nation and country and bring you back home to your own land. I will sprinkle purifying water over you, and you will be cleansed from all the filth of your past. I will wash you clean from the defilement of worshiping false gods. I will graciously give you a new, tender heart and put a new, willing spirit inside you. I will remove your hard heart of stone and give you an obedient, responsive heart instead. I will put my Holy Spirit in you to empower you to keep my laws and to live by them. You will live in the land that I gave your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from everything impure within you. I will call for the grain of the field to become plentiful and not allow famine to afflict you. I will increase the produce of fruit and field so that you will never again bear the disgrace of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways and the wrongs you have done. Your guilt and evil deeds will cause you to be disgusted with yourselves. People of Israel, I assure you that it is not because you are good that I am going to do all this. You should be utterly ashamed over your conduct! I, Lord YAHWEH, have spoken.’ “Lord YAHWEH says: ‘When I cleanse you from all your guilt and shame, I will cause your ruined cities to be rebuilt and repopulated again. You will once more farm your barren land. It will not be abandoned anymore, and everyone who passes by will notice it. And they will say: “Look how this once barren land is now like the garden of Eden! All those empty, abandoned cities left in ruins are now strongholds, restored cities with people living in them.” And the nations around you will know that I, YAHWEH, have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted what was once desolate. I, YAHWEH, make this promise and will do it.’ “Lord YAHWEH says: ‘People of Israel, as a sign of my favor, I will once again answer your prayers. I will cause your population to increase until you are like a large flock of sheep. You will be as numerous as the huge flock of sacrificial animals in Jerusalem during her solemn feasts. Your cities that were once filled with rubble will be filled with flocks of people. And then you will know that I am YAHWEH.’ ”