1„Synu člověčí, prorokuj o izraelských horách. Řekni: Izraelské hory, slyšte slovo Hospodinovo. 2Tak praví Panovník Hospodin – Nepřítel nad vámi volal: ‚Hohó, ty dávné výšiny teď patří nám!‘ 3Proto prorokuj a řekni: Tak praví Panovník Hospodin. Protože vás pustošili a drtili ze všech stran, aby si vás zbytek národů mohl rozebrat, a protože vás lidé pomlouvají a očerňují vás, 4proto, izraelské hory, slyšte slovo Panovníka Hospodina. Toto praví Panovník Hospodin horám a výšinám, stržím a roklinám, zpustošeným troskám a opuštěným městům, která se stala kořistí zbytku národů a všem dokola jsou jen k posměchu. 5Nuže, tak praví Panovník Hospodin: Ano, mluvil jsem v planoucím horlení proti zbytku národů i proti Edomu – proti všem, kdo si s nezřízenou radostí drze přivlastnili mou zemi, aby ukořistili její pastviny. 6Proto prorokuj o izraelské zemi a řekni horám a výšinám, stržím a roklinám: Tak praví Panovník Hospodin. Hle – mluvím zuřivě rozhorlen, protože se vám posmívali pohané. 7Nuže, tak praví Panovník Hospodin: Přísahám, že pohanům kolem vás se také budou posmívat! 8Vy, izraelské hory, se však budete jen zelenat a ponesete ovoce mému lidu, Izraeli, jenž se už brzy vrátí. 9Vždyť já jsem přece s vámi! Obrátím k vám svou tvář a budou vás znovu orat a osívat. 10Rozmnožím vaše obyvatele – celý a úplný dům Izraele – aby znovu obydleli města a vystavěli, co leží v troskách. 11Rozmnožím vaše lidi i zvířata a budou se množit a rozmáhat. Osídlím vás jako za starodávna a budu k vám ještě štědřejší než kdysi. Tak poznáte, že já jsem Hospodin. 12Znovu k vám přivedu lidi; Izrael, můj vlastní lid, vás obsadí a budete jejich dědictvím. Už nikdy je nepřipravíte o děti. 13Tak praví Panovník Hospodin. Protože o tobě říkají: ‚Ta země požírá lidi a připravuje vlastní národ o děti,‘ 14proto už nebudeš požírat lidi a nebudeš už připravovat svůj národ o děti, praví Panovník Hospodin. 15Nenechám už tě poslouchat posměch pohanů, nebudeš už muset snášet urážky národů a nikdy už nepřivedeš svůj národ k pádu, praví Panovník Hospodin.“ 16Dostal jsem slovo Hospodinovo: 17„Synu člověčí, když dům Izraele ještě žil ve vlastní zemi, svými způsoby a skutky ji poskvrnil. Jejich způsoby byly v mých očích nečisté jako ženské krvácení. 18Vylil jsem tedy na ně svůj hněv, neboť v té zemi prolévali krev a poskvrnili ji svými hnusnými modlami. 19Rozptýlil jsem je mezi národy, takže jsou rozprášeni po zemích. Odsoudil jsem je za jejich způsoby a skutky. 20Kamkoli ale mezi národy přišli, všude mé svaté jméno znesvětili. Říkalo se totiž o nich: ‚Jsou Hospodinův lid, ale z jeho země museli odejít.‘ 21Proto jsem byl pohnut lítostí nad svým svatým jménem, které dům Izraele znesvětil mezi národy, kamkoli přišli. 22Proto řekni domu Izraele – Tak praví Panovník Hospodin: Nedělám to kvůli vám, dome Izraele, ale kvůli svému svatému jménu, které jste znesvětili mezi národy, kamkoli jste přišli. 23Posvětím své veliké jméno, znesvěcené mezi národy, jméno, které jste mezi nimi znesvětili. Tehdy národy poznají, že já jsem Hospodin – až na vás před jejich očima prokážu, jak jsem svatý, praví Panovník Hospodin. 24Posbírám vás z pohanů, shromáždím vás ze všech zemí a přivedu vás zpět do vlasti. 25Pokropím vás čistou vodou a budete čistí. Ode vší vaší nečistoty a ode všech vašich hnusných model vás očistím. 26Dám vám nové srdce a do nitra vám vložím nového ducha. Vezmu vám z těla srdce z kamene a dám vám srdce z masa. 27Vložím vám do nitra svého Ducha a způsobím, abyste se řídili mými pravidly, dodržovali mé zákony a jednali podle nich. 28Budete bydlet v zemi, kterou jsem dal vašim otcům. Budete mým lidem a já budu vaším Bohem. 29Ode vší vaší nečistoty vás zachráním. Přivolám také obilí a rozmnožím je. Nedopustím už na vás hlad. 30Rozmnožím ovoce na stromech i polní úrodu, abyste už mezi národy nesnášeli hanbu kvůli hladu. 31Pak si vzpomenete na své zlé cesty a nesprávné jednání a budete se sami sobě ošklivit kvůli svým vinám a své zvrhlosti. 32Nedělám to kvůli vám, praví Panovník Hospodin, toho si buďte vědomi. Vy buďte zahanbeni a styďte se za své způsoby, dome izraelský. 33Toto praví Panovník Hospodin: V den, kdy vás očistím od všech vin, znovu obydlím vaše města, aby se vystavělo, co leží v troskách. 34Zpustošená země bude obdělána, aby už před očima všech kolemjdoucích neležela pustá. 35Řeknou: ‚Z té zpustošené země je teď úplná zahrada Eden! A ta rozbořená města, jež ležela opuštěná v troskách, jsou teď opevněná a obydlená.‘ 36Tak poznají národy, které zbudou ve vašem okolí, že já Hospodin jsem vystavěl zbořeniny a znovu osázel pustiny. To říkám já Hospodin; já to učiním. 37Tak praví Panovník Hospodin: Znovu odpovím na modlitby domu Izraele a toto pro ně učiním: Rozmnožím jejich lid jako stádo ovcí. 38Bude jich jako stád posvěcených ovcí, jako ovcí v Jeruzalémě o svátcích – tak se ta rozbořená města zaplní lidmi jako ovcemi. Tehdy poznají, že já jsem 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].
