1Ty však, človeče, prorokuj o izraelských vrchoch a povedz: Izraelské vrchy, počúvajte slovo Hospodinovo: 2Takto vraví Hospodin, Pán: Pretože nepriateľ hovorí o vás: Aha, večné výšiny sa stali našim vlastníctvom! 3preto prorokuj a povedz: Takto vraví Hospodin, Pán: Preto, áno, pretože pustošili a siahali na vás zo všetkých strán, aby ste sa stali vlastníctvom ostatných národov, pretože ste sa dostali na klebetné a ohováračské pery ľudí, 4preto, izraelské vrchy, počujte slovo Hospodina, Pána: Takto vraví Hospodin, Pán vrchom, pahorkom, riečiskám i údoliam, spustnutým zrúcaninám a opusteným mestám, ktoré sa stali okolitým národom korisťou a predmetom výsmechu. 5Preto takto vraví Hospodin, Pán: Naozaj, s ohňom svojej žiarlivosti som hovoril proti ostatným národom i proti celému Edómu, lebo si vzali moju krajinu do vlastníctva s radosťou celého srdca a s hlbokým opovrhnutím, aby ju mohli vlastniť a lúpiť. 6Preto prorokuj o pôde Izraela a povedz vrchom, pahorkom, riečiskám, údoliam: Takto vraví Hospodin, Pán: Hľa, ja prehovorím vo svojej žiarlivosti a vo svojom hneve, pretože znášate potupu národov. 7Preto takto vraví Hospodin, Pán: Ja dvíham ruku k prísahe: Naozaj, národy, ktoré sú okolo vás, ponesú svoju hanbu. 8Avšak vy, izraelské vrchy, vyženiete svoje vetvy a budete donášať ovocie môjmu izraelskému ľudu, lebo čoskoro príde domov. 9Lebo, hľa, prídem k vám, obrátim sa k vám, budete obrátené a obsiate; 10na vás rozmnožím ľudí, celý dom Izraela; mestá budú obývané, a čo je zrúcané, bude nanovo vystavané. 11Na vás rozmnožím ľudí i zvieratá, takže sa budú množiť a plodiť, a osadím vás ako za vašich starých čias, naložím s vami lepšie ako kedykoľvek predtým a poznáte, že ja som Hospodin. 12Spôsobím, aby kráčali po vás ľudia, to jest môj izraelský ľud. Vezmú vás do vlastníctva, vtedy budete ich dedičným vlastníctvom a nebudete ich nikdy pripravovať o deti. 13Takto vraví Hospodin, Pán: Pretože vám hovoria: Ty požieraš ľudí a pripravuješ svoje národy o deti! 14preto nebudeš nikdy požierať ľudí a nebudeš pripravovať svoj národ o deti - znie výrok Hospodina, Pána. 15Nedovolím už, aby zaznievalo o tebe potupovanie od pohanov, ani nebudeš viac znášať hanobenie národov, ani svoj národ nebudeš viac pripravovať o deti - znie výrok Hospodina, Pána. 16Potom mi zaznelo slovo Hospodinovo: 17Človeče, kým býval Izrael na svojej pôde, znečisťoval ju svojím spôsobom života a svojimi skutkami, takže predo mnou bol jeho spôsob života ako nečistota mesačného krvácania. 18Vtedy som si vylial na vás svoj pálčivý hnev pre krv, ktorú preliali v krajine, pretože ju modlami znečistili. 19Rozptýlil som ich medzi národy a boli roztrúsení po krajinách; súdil som ich podľa ich spôsobu života a skutkov. 20Ale kamkoľvek prišli k národom, znesvätili moje sväté meno, keď sa o nich hovorilo: Títo sú Hospodinovým ľudom a vyšli z Jeho krajiny. 21Vtedy som mal s nimi súcit pre moje sväté meno, ktoré dom Izraela znesvätil medzi národmi, ku ktorým prišli. 22Preto povedz domu Izraela: Takto vraví Hospodin, Pán: Nekonám kvôli vám, dom Izraela, ale kvôli svojmu svätému menu, ktoré ste znesvätili medzi národmi, ku ktorým ste prišli. 23Posvätím svoje veľké meno, znesvätené medzi národmi, ktoré ste znesvätili medzi nimi, a pohanské národy poznajú, že ja som Hospodin - znie výrok Hospodina, Pána - keď sa na vás dokážem svätým pred ich očami. 24Poberiem vás z národov, zhromaždím zo všetkých krajín a dovediem na vašu pôdu. 25Potom vás pokropím čistou vodou a budete očistení od všetkých svojich po škvŕn, i od všetkých modiel vás očistím. 26Dám vám nové srdce a nového ducha do vášho vnútra; odstránim kamenné srdce z vášho tela a dám vám srdce mäsité. 27Dám svojho Ducha do vášho vnútra a spôsobím, aby ste chodili podľa mojich ustanovení, zachovávali a plnili moje nariadenia. 28Žiť budete v krajine, ktorú som dal vašim otcom, budete mojím ľudom a ja budem vaším Bohom. 29Keď vás oslobodím od všetkých vašich poškvŕn, potom privolám obilie, rozmnožím ho a nedopustím na vás hlad. 30Rozmnožím ovocie stromov i výnos poľa, aby ste nikdy nemuseli znášať hanobenie pre hladovanie medzi národmi. 31Spomeniete si na zlé spôsoby svojho života a na svoje skutky, ktoré neboli dobré, a pocítite zhnusenie sami pred sebou pre svoje previnenia a pre svoje ohavnosti. 32Nie kvôli vám konám - znie výrok Hospodina, Pána - to nech je vám známe. Hanbite sa a červenajte pre svoje spôsoby života, dom Izraela! 33Takto vraví Hospodin, Pán: V ten deň, keď vás očistím od všetkých previnení, osídlim mestá, a čo je zrúcané, nanovo vystavím. 34Spustnutá krajina bude obrábaná miesto toho, že bývala púšťou pred očami okoloidúcich. 35Budú hovoriť: Krajina, ktorá bola spustošená, stala sa záhradou Éden, a zrúcané, spustošené a zbúrané mestá sú opevnené a obývané. 36Národy, ktoré ostanú okolo vás, poznajú, že ja, Hospodin, som zbúrané vystaval a spustošené vysadil. Ja, Hospodin, som predpovedal, a splním to. 37Takto vraví Hospodin, Pán: Ešte v tomto sa dám uprosiť domu Izraela, aby som im to vyplnil: ľud pri nich rozmnožím ako ovce. 38Ako posvätné ovce, ako ovce v Jeruzaleme počas slávností, tak zástupy ľudí zaplnia zrúcané mestá. Potom poznajú, že ja som Hospodin.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 ISRAEL AVENGED OF HER FOES, AND RESTORED, FIRST TO INWARD HOLINESS, THEN TO OUTWARD PROSPERITY. (Eze. 36:1-38)
mountains of Israel--in contrast to "Mount Seir" of the previous prophecy. They are here personified; Israel's elevation is moral, not merely physical, as Edom's. Her hills are "the everlasting hills" of Jacob's prophecy (
Gen 49:26). "The enemy" (Edom, the singled-out representative of all God's foes), with a shout of exultation, "Aha!" had claimed, as the nearest kinsman of Israel (the brother of their father Esau), his vacated inheritance; as much as to say, the so-called "everlasting" inheritance of Israel and of the "hills," which typified the unmoved perpetuity of it (
Ps 125:1-
Ps 125:2), has come to an end, in spite of the promise of God, and has become "ours" (compare
Deut 32:13;
Deut 33:15).
3 Literally, "Because, even because."
swallowed you up--literally, "panted after" you, as a beast after its prey; implying the greedy cupidity of Edom as to Israel's inheritance (
Ps 56:1-
Ps 56:2).
lips of talkers--literally, "lips of the tongue," that is, of the slanderer, the man of tongue. Edom slandered Israel because of the connection of the latter with Jehovah, as though He were unable to save them.
Deut 28:37, and
Jer 24:9 had foretold Israel's reproach among the heathen (
Dan 9:16).
4 Inanimate creatures are addressed, to imply that the creature also, as it were, groans for deliverance from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God (
Rom 8:19-
Rom 8:21) [POLANUS]. The completeness of the renewed blessedness of all parts of the land is implied.
derision-- (
Ps 79:4).
5 to cast it out for a prey--that is, to take the land for a prey, its inhabitants being cast out. Or the land is compared to a prey cast forth to wild beasts. FAIRBAIRN needlessly alters the Hebrew pointing and translates, "that they may plunder its pasturage."
6 the shame of the heathen--namely, the shame with which the heathen cover you (
Ps 123:3-
Ps 123:4).
7 lifted . . . mine hand--in token of an oath (
Ezek 20:5;
Gen 14:22).
they shall bear their shame--a perpetual shame; whereas the "shame" which Israel bore from these heathen was only for a time.
8 they are at hand to come--that is the Israelites are soon about to return to their land. This proves that the primary reference of the prophecy is to the return from Babylon, which was "at hand," or comparatively near. But this only in part fulfilled the prediction, the full and final blessing in future, and the restoration from Babylon was an earnest of it.
10 wastes builded--
Isa 58:12;
Isa 61:4;
Amos 9:11-
Amos 9:12,
Amos 9:14, where, as here (
Ezek 34:23-
Ezek 34:24), the names of David, Messiah's type, and Edom, Israel's foe, are introduced in connection with the coming restoration.
11 do better . . . than at your beginnings--as in the case of Job (
Job 42:12). Whereas the heathen nations fall irrevocably, Israel shall be more than restored; its last estate shall exceed even its first.
12 to walk upon you--O mountains of Israel (
Ezek 36:8)!
thee . . . thou--change from plural to singular: O hill of Zion, singled out from the other mountains of Israel (
Ezek 34:26); or land.
thou shall no more . . . bereave them of men--Thou shalt no more provoke God to bereave them of children (so the ellipsis ought to be supplied, as Ezekiel probably alludes to
Jer 15:7, "I will bereave them of children").
13 Thou land devourest up men--alluding to the words of the spies (
Num 13:32). The land personified is represented as doing that which was done in it. Like an unnatural mother it devoured, that is, it was the grave of its people; of the Canaanites, its former possessors, through mutual wars, and finally by the sword of Israel; and now, of the Jews, through internal and external ills; for example, wars, famine (to which
Ezek 36:30, "reproach of famine among the heathen," implies the allusion here is).
14 bereave--so the Keri, or Hebrew Margin reads, to correspond to "bereave" in
Ezek 36:13; but "cause to fall" or "stumble," in the Hebrew text or Chetib, being the more difficult reading, is the one least likely to come from a corrector; also, it forms a good transition to the next subject, namely, the moral cause of the people's calamities, namely, their falls, or stumblings through sin. The latter ceasing, the former also cease. So the same expression follows in
Ezek 36:15, "Neither shalt thou cause thy nations to fall any more."
17 removed woman-- (
Lev 15:19, &c.).
18 The reason for their removal was their sin, which God's holiness could not let pass unpunished; just as a woman's legal uncleanness was the reason for her being separated from the congregation.
20 profaned my holy name, when they--the heathen
said to them--the Israelites.
These, &c.--The Israelites gave a handle of reproach to the heathen against God, who would naturally say, These who take usury, oppress, commit adultery, &c., and who, in such an abject plight, are "gone forth" as exiles "out of His land," are specimens of what Jehovah can or will effect, for His people, and show what kind of a God this so-called holy, omnipotent, covenant-keeping God must be! (
Isa 52:5;
Rom 2:24).
21 I had pity for mine holy name--that is, I felt pity for it; God's own name, so dishonored, was the primary object of His pitying concern; then His people, secondarily, through His concern for it [FAIRBAIRN].
22 not . . . for your sakes--that is, not for any merit in you; for, on the contrary, on your part, there is everything to call down continued severity (compare
Deut 9:5-
Deut 9:6). The sole and sure ground of hope was God's regard to "His own name," as the God of covenant grace (
Ps 106:45), which He must vindicate from the dishonor brought on it by the Jews, before the heathen.
23 sanctify--vindicate and manifest as holy, in opposition to the heathen reproaches of it brought on by the Jews' sins and their punishment (see on
Ezek 36:20).
sanctified in you--that is, in respect of you; I shall be regarded in their eyes as the Holy One, and righteous in My dealings towards you (
Ezek 20:41;
Ezek 28:22).
24 Fulfilled primarily in the restoration from Babylon; ultimately to be so in the restoration "from all countries."
25 The external restoration must be preceded by an internal one. The change in their condition must not be superficial, but must be based on a radical renewal of the heart. Then the heathen, understanding from the regenerated lives of God's people how holy God is, would perceive Israel's past troubles to have been only the necessary vindications of His righteousness. Thus God's name would be "sanctified" before the heathen, and God's people be prepared for outward blessings.
sprinkle . . . water--phraseology taken from the law; namely, the water mixed with the ashes of a heifer sprinkled with a hyssop on the unclean (
Num 19:9-
Num 19:18); the thing signified being the cleansing blood of Christ sprinkled on the conscience and heart (
Heb 9:13-
Heb 9:14;
Heb 10:22; compare
Jer 33:8;
Eph 5:26).
from all your idols--Literal idolatry has ceased among the Jews ever since the captivity; so far, the prophecy has been already fulfilled; but "cleansing from all their idols," for example, covetousness, prejudices against Jesus of Nazareth, is yet future.
26 new heart--mind and will.
spirit--motive and principle of action.
stony heart--unimpressible in serious things; like the "stony ground" (
Matt 13:5,
Matt 13:20), unfit for receiving the good seed so as to bring forth fruit.
heart of flesh--not "carnal" in opposition to "spiritual"; but impressible and docile, fit for receiving the good seed. In
Ezek 18:31 they are commanded, "Make you a new heart, and a new spirit." Here God says, "A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you." Thus the responsibility of man, and the sovereign grace of God, are shown to be coexistent. Man cannot make himself a new heart unless God gives it (
Phil 2:12-
Phil 2:13).
27 my spirit-- (
Ezek 11:19;
Jer 32:39). The partial reformation at the return from Babylon (
Ezra 10:6, &c.; Neh. 8:1-9:38) was an earnest of the full renewal hereafter under Messiah.
28 ye . . . my people, . . . I . . . your God-- (
Ezek 11:20;
Jer 30:22).
29 save . . . from all . . . uncleannesses--the province of Jesus, according to the signification of His name (
Matt 1:21). To be specially exercised in behalf of the Jews in the latter days (
Rom 11:26).
call for . . . corn--as a master "calls for" a servant; all the powers and productions of nature are the servants of Jehovah (
Ps 105:16;
Matt 8:8-
Matt 8:9). Compare as to the subordination of all the intermediate agents to the Great First Cause, who will give "corn" and all good things to His people,
Hos 2:21-
Hos 2:22;
Zech 8:12.
30 no more reproach of famine among the heathen--to which their taunt (
Ezek 36:13), "Thou land devourest up men," in part referred.
31 remember your . . . evil ways--with shame and loathing. The unexpected grace and love of God, manifested in Christ to Israel, shall melt the people into true repentance, which mere legal fear could not (
Ezek 16:61,
Ezek 16:63;
Ps 130:4;
Zech 12:10; compare
Jer 33:8-
Jer 33:9).
35 they shall say--The heathen, who once made Israel's desolation a ground of reproach against the name of Jehovah Himself (
Ezek 36:20-
Ezek 36:21); but now He so vindicates its sanctity (
Ezek 36:22-
Ezek 36:23) that these same heathen are constrained to acknowledge Israel's more than renewed blessedness to be God's own work, and a ground for glorifying His name (
Ezek 36:36).
Eden--as Tyre (the type of the world powers in general: so Assyria, a cedar "in the garden of God, Eden,"
Ezek 31:8-
Ezek 31:9), in original advantages, had been compared to "Eden, the garden of God" (
Ezek 28:13), from which she had fallen irrecoverably; so Israel, once desolate, is to be as "the garden of Eden" (
Isa 51:3), and is to be so unchangeably.
36 Lord . . . spoken . . . do it-- (
Num 23:19).
37 I will yet for this be inquired of--so as to grant it. On former occasions He had refused to be inquired of by Israel because the inquirers were not in a fit condition of mind to receive a blessing (
Ezek 14:3;
Ezek 20:3). But hereafter, as in the restoration from Babylon (Neh. 8:1-9:38; Dan. 9:3-20, 21, 23), God will prepare His people's hearts (
Ezek 36:26) to pray aright for the blessings which He is about to give (
Ps 102:13-
Ps 102:17,
Ps 102:20;
Zech 12:10-
Zech 12:14;
Zech 13:1).
like a flock--resuming the image (
Ezek 34:23,
Ezek 34:31).
38 As the holy flock--the great flock of choice animals for sacrifice, brought up to Jerusalem at the three great yearly festivals, the passover, pentecost, and feast of the tabernacles.
Three stages in Israel's revival present themselves to the prophet's eye. (1) The new awakening of the people, the resurrection of the dead (
Ezek 37:1-
Ezek 37:14). (2) The reunion of the formerly hostile members of the community, whose contentions had affected the whole (
Ezek 37:15-
Ezek 37:28). (3) The community thus restored is strong enough to withstand the assault of Gog, &c. (Eze. 38:1-39:29) [EWALD].