Study Desk

"‘For thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Look! I, even I, will seek my flock, and I will look after them,

just like the caring of a shepherd for his herd on the day when he is in the midst of his scattered flock. Thus I will look after my flock, and I will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on the day of storm and stress.

Is it not enough for you that you feed on the good pasture? And still you must trample the remainder of your pasture with your feet, and clear water you drink, and the leftover water you must make muddy with your feet.

And so I will save my flock, and they will no longer be for plunder, and I will judge between one sheep and another.

And I will set up over them one shepherd, and he will feed them; that is, my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be for them as a shepherd.

And I, Yahweh, I will be for them as God, and my servant David will be a leader in the midst of them. I, Yahweh, I have spoken.

And I will raise for them a garden plot of renown, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land, and they will not bear any more the insult of the nations.

Therefore prophesy, and you must say, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Because indeed when you were desolate, then they crushed you from all around, so that you became a possession to the remainder of the nations, and you became a byword and object of slander for the people."

Therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Yahweh; thus says the Lord Yahweh to the mountains and to the hills, to the river channels and to the valleys and to the ruins that are desolate and to the cities that are abandoned and that have become as plunder and as scorn for the remainder of the nations that are from all around.

Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Certainly in the fire of my passion I spoke against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who made my land as a possession, because of its pastureland for plunder, for themselves in all of the joy of their whole heart and in their inner disdain."

"‘"But you, mountains of Israel, your branch you will shoot, and your fruit you will carry for my people Israel, for they are soon to come.

For look! I am for you, and I will turn you, and you will be tilled, and you will be planted.

And I will cause your population to increase for you, all of the house of Israel, all of it, and the towns will be inhabited, and the ruins will be built.

And I will cause your population to increase for you, and domestic animals, even they will be numerous, and they will be fruitful, and I will cause you to be inhabited like your ancient times, and I will do good things more than in your former times, and you will know that I am Yahweh.

And I will send over you my people Israel, and they will take possession of you, and you will be for them as an inheritance, and you will no longer bereave them of their children."

And I poured out my rage on them for the blood that they poured on the land and for their idols with which they defiled it.

And I was concerned for my holy name, which, the house of Israel defiled among the nations to which they went.

"Therefore thus say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Not for your sake am I about to act, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you defiled among the nations to which you went.

But not for your sake am I acting," declares the Lord Yahweh. "Let it be known to you, be ashamed, and be put to shame because of your ways, house of Israel.

"Thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Again this time I will let myself be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do something for them; I will cause them to increase their population like a flock.