Ezekiel 36:38

The Darby Translation

As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her set feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I [am] Jehovah.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So the ruined cities will be filled with a flock of people, just as Jerusalem is filled with a flock of sheep for sacrifice during its appointed festivals. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”

Hebrew Names Version
As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Yerushalayim in her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

King James Version
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 .

English Standard Version
Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord ."

New American Standard Bible
"Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD."'"

New Century Version
They will be as many as the flocks brought to Jerusalem during her holy feasts. Her ruined cities will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord ."

Amplified Bible
"Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the desolate cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know [with confident assurance] that I am the LORD."'"

Geneva Bible (1587)
As the holy flocke, as the flocke of Ierusalem in their solemne feastes, so shall the desolate cities be filled with flockes of men, and they shal know, that I am the Lord.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD."'"

Legacy Standard Bible
Like the flock for holy offerings, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed times, so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am Yahweh."'"

Berean Standard Bible
Like the numerous flocks for sacrifices at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so the ruined cities will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD.'"

Contemporary English Version
The towns that now lie in ruins will be filled with people, just as Jerusalem was once filled with sheep to be offered as sacrifices during a festival. Then you will know that I am the Lord .

Complete Jewish Bible
like flocks of sheep for sacrifices, like the flocks of sheep in Yerushalayim at its designated times, in this degree will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am Adonai .'"

Easy-to-Read Version
During the special festivals, Jerusalem was filled with flocks of sheep and goats that had been made holy. In the same way the cities and ruined places will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord ."

George Lamsa Translation
As the holy flock, as the flock comes into Jerusalem at the time of her solemn feasts, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Good News Translation
The cities that are now in ruins will then be as full of people as Jerusalem was once full of the sheep which were offered as sacrifices at a festival. Then they will know that I am the Lord ."

Lexham English Bible
Like the flock of the sanctuary, like the flock of Jerusalem at its festival, so the desolate cities will be filled with flocks of people; and they will know that I am Yahweh.'"

Literal Translation
Like a holy flock, like the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so the wasted cities shall be filled with flocks of men. And they shall know that I am Jehovah.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Like as the holy flocke and the flocke of Ierusalem are in the hie solempne feastes: so shal also the wilde waisted cities be fylled with flockes of men: and they shal knowe, that I am the LORDE.

American Standard Version
As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.

Bible in Basic English
Like sheep for the offerings, like the sheep of Jerusalem at her fixed feasts, so the unpeopled towns will be made full of men: and they will be certain that I am the Lord.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed seasons, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men; and they shall know that I am the LORD.'

King James Version (1611)
As the holy flocke, as the flocke of Ierusalem in her solemne feastes, so shal the waste cities be filled with flocks of men, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Like as the holy flocke, and the flocke of Hierusalem are in the hie solempne feastes, so shall also the wasted cities be filled with flockes of men: and they shal knowe that I am the Lorde.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
as holy sheep, as the sheep of Jerusalem in her feasts; thus shall the desert cities be full of flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

English Revised Version
As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

World English Bible
As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
as the floc of Jerusalem in the solempnytees therof, so the citees that ben forsakun, schulen be fulle of the flockis of men; and thei schulen wite, that Y am the Lord.

Update Bible Version
As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of man; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

New English Translation
Like the sheep for offerings, like the sheep of Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord ."

New King James Version
Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.""'

New Living Translation
They will be as numerous as the sacred flocks that fill Jerusalem's streets at the time of her festivals. The ruined cities will be crowded with people once more, and everyone will know that I am the Lord ."

New Life Bible
The empty cities will be filled with flocks of people, like the flock kept for burnt gifts, like the flock at Jerusalem during her special suppers. Then they will know that I am the Lord."'"

New Revised Standard
Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed festivals, so shall the ruined towns be filled with flocks of people. Then they shall know that I am the Lord .

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Like the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts So shall the waste cities be fled with flocks of men,- And they shall know that I, am Yahweh.

Douay-Rheims Bible
As a holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts: so shall the waste cities be full of flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Revised Standard Version
Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD."

Young's Literal Translation
As a flock of holy ones, as a flock of Jerusalem, In her appointed seasons, So are the waste cities full of flocks of men, And they have known that I [am] Jehovah!'

Contextual Overview

²⁵ And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your uncleannesses and from all your idols will I cleanse you. ²⁶ And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and keep mine ordinances, and ye shall do them. ²⁸ 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. ²⁹ And I will save you from all your uncleannesses; and I will call for the corn and will multiply it, and lay no famine upon you. ³⁰ And I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the increase of the field, so that ye may receive no more the reproach of famine among the nations. ³¹ And ye shall remember your evil ways, and your doings which were not good, and shall loathe yourselves for your iniquities and for your abominations. ³² Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord Jehovah, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel. ³³ Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: In the day that I shall cleanse you from all your iniquities I will also cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be builded. ³⁴ And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it was a desolation in the sight of all that passed by.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

holy flock: Heb. flock of holy things

as the flock: Exodus 23:17, Exodus 34:23, Deuteronomy 16:16, 2 Chronicles 7:8, 2 Chronicles 30:21-27, 2 Chronicles 35:7-19, Zechariah 8:19-23, Acts 2:5-11

the waste: Ezekiel 36:33-35, Ezekiel 34:31, Jeremiah 30:19, Jeremiah 31:27, Jeremiah 31:28, John 10:16, Revelation 7:4-9

Reciprocal: Leviticus 26:12 - will be Jeremiah 13:17 - because Zechariah 10:8 - and they Acts 27:23 - whose

Gill's Notes on the Bible

As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts,.... Like flocks of sheep, which were consecrated and set apart for holy uses, for sacrifices; even like the flocks of sheep, which were brought to Jerusalem to be offered in sacrifice at the three solemn festivals in the year; especially at the passover, when the Jews came from all parts of the country to slay and eat their passover; and every family had a lamb, which in all must be a great number: we read of thirty thousand lambs and three thousand bullocks given at one time for this service by King Josiah, besides what was given by the princes,

2 Chronicles 35:7. The Targum is,

"as the holy people, as a people that is cleansed, and comes to Jerusalem at the feasts of the passover:''

or, "as the flock of the Holy Ones" q; either of the holy God, Father, Son, and Spirit; or of holy men, who are made holy or sanctified by the Spirit of God:

so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men; or with men that are like sheep for meekness, harmlessness, patience, cleanness, society, and usefulness; and not with such as are comparable to unclean beasts, or beasts of prey; so it denotes both the quantity of persons that shall inhabit Judea, and dwelt both in the cities and churches there, and the quality of them.

q כצאן קדשים "sicut oves sanctorum", Vatablus, Gussetius, Starckius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As the holy flock - A reference to the flocks and herds brought up to Jerusalem to be consecrated and offered unto the Lord 2 Chronicles 35:7. Thus, the idea is brought out:

(1) of the multiplication of the people,

(2) of their dedication to the service of God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 36:38. As the holy flock — The Church of Christ, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.

The flock of Jerusalem — The Jerusalem that is from above, the city of the living God, the place where his Majesty dwells. As they came in ancient times to the solemn national feasts so shall they come when they have fully returned unto the Lord, and received his salvation by Christ Jesus.

I do not ask my reader's pardon for having considered this most beautiful chapter as relating, not to the restoration from the Babylonish captivity, but to the redemption under the new covenant by Jesus Christ. There is no period of the Jewish history from that time until now, to which it can be applied. It must belong to the Gospel dispensation; and if the Jews will still refuse, contradict, and blaspheme, let no Christian have any fellowship with them in their opposition to this Almighty Saviour. Let none be indifferent to his salvation; let all plead his promises; and let the messengers of the Churches proclaim to the Christian world a FREE, a FULL, and a PRESENT SALVATION! And may great grace rest upon themselves, and upon all their flocks!