Study Desk

You are my flock, the human flock of my pasture, and I am your God. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”

Say to it, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

therefore, as I live—this is the declaration of the Lord God—I will destine you for bloodshed, and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, it will pursue you.

therefore, as I live—this is the declaration of the Lord God—I will treat you according to the anger and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them. I will make myself known among them when I judge you.

“‘This is what the Lord God says: While the whole world rejoices, I will make you a desolation.

This is what the Lord God says: Because the enemy has said about you, “Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession,”’

therefore, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Lord God says: Because they have made you desolate and have trampled you from every side, so that you became a possession for the rest of the nations and an object of people’s gossip and slander,

therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. This is what the Lord God says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and abandoned cities, which have become plunder and a mockery to the rest of the nations all around.

“‘This is what the Lord God says: Certainly in my burning zeal I speak against the rest of the nations and all of Edom, who took my land as their own possession with wholehearted rejoicing and utter contempt so that its pastureland became plunder.

Therefore, prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: This is what the Lord God says: Look, I speak in my burning zeal because you have endured the insults of the nations.

Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: I swear that the nations all around you will endure their own insults.

“‘This is what the Lord God says: Because some are saying to you, “You devour people and deprive your nation of children,”

therefore, you will no longer devour people and deprive your nation of children. This is the declaration of the Lord God.

I will no longer allow the insults of the nations to be heard against you, and you will not have to endure the reproach of the peoples anymore; you will no longer cause your nation to stumble. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”

“Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: It is not for your sake that I will act, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you profaned among the nations where you went.

I will honor the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations—the name you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord—this is the declaration of the Lord God—when I demonstrate my holiness through you in their sight.

You will live in the land that I gave your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

It is not for your sake that I will act—this is the declaration of the Lord God—let this be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, house of Israel!

“‘This is what the Lord God says: On the day I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt.

“‘This is what the Lord God says: I will respond to the house of Israel and do this for them: I will multiply them in number like a flock.