Ezekiel 36:16-38

16Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, 17“Son of man, when the house of Israel was living in their own land, they 1defiled it by their ways and their deeds; their way before Me was like 2the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity. 18Therefore I 3poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land, because they had defiled it with their idols. 19Also I 4scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the lands. 5According to their ways and their deeds I judged them. 20When they came to the nations where they went, they 6profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the 7people of the Lord; yet they have come out of His land.’ 21But I had 8concern for My 9holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.

22“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “It is 10not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. 23I will 11vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the 12nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. 24For I will 13take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. 25Then I will 14sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your 15filthiness and from all your 16idols. 26Moreover, I will give you a 17new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the 18heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27I will 19put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be 20My people, and I will be your God. 29Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I 21will not 22bring a famine on you. 30I will 23multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31Then you will 24remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations. 32I am not doing this 25for your sake,” declares the Lord God, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel!”

33‘Thus says the Lord God, “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the 26cities to be inhabited, and the 27waste places will be rebuilt. 34The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by. 35They will say, ‘This desolate land has become like the 28garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’ 36Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken and 29will do it.”

37‘Thus says the Lord God, “This also I will let the house of Israel ask Me to do for them: I will increase their men like a flock. 38Like the 30flock 31for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the waste cities be filled with 32flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”’”