וְאַתָּה בֶן־אָדָם הִנָּבֵא אֶל־הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁמְעוּ דְּבַר־ה'

You, Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel. The prophecy about Mount Se’ir is followed by a contrasting one relating to the mountains of Israel. And say: Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord.

כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים יַעַן אָמַר הָאוֹיֵב עֲלֵיכֶם הֶאָח וּבָמוֹת עוֹלָם לְמוֹרָשָׁה הָיְתָה לָּנוּ

So said the Lord God: Because the enemy has rejoiced at your destruction and has said against you: Hurrah, the eternal heights, meaning the mountains of Israel, have become a heritage for us;

לָכֵן הִנָּבֵא וְאָמַרְתָּ כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים יַעַן בְּיַעַן שַׁמּוֹת וְשָׁאֹף אֶתְכֶם מִסָּבִיב לִהְיוֹתְכֶם מוֹרָשָׁה לִשְׁאֵרִית הַגּוֹיִם וַתֵּעֲלוּ עַל־שְׂפַת לָשׁוֹן וְדִבַּת־עָם

therefore, prophesy, and say: So said the Lord God to you, the mountains of Israel: Because and because they laid waste to you and swallowed you all around, destroying everything that belongs to you, for you to become a heritage for the remnant of the nations, and you have become their property, and you have arisen upon the lips of the speakers of each language and in the slanderous report of people. You have become the subject of gossip and degradation. Israel’s loss of independence, its exile, and its destruction have become a paradigm of calamity in the discourse of the other nations;

לָכֵן הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁמְעוּ דְּבַר־ה' אֱלוֹהִים כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים לֶהָרִים וְלַגְּבָעוֹת לָאֲפִיקִים וְלַגֵּאָיוֹת וְלֶחֳרָבוֹת הַשּׁמְמוֹת וְלֶעָרִים הַנֶּעֱזָבוֹת אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ לְבַז וּלְלַעַג לִשְׁאֵרִית הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר מִסָּבִיב

therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God: So said the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills, to the streams and to the valleys, to the desolate ruins and to the forsaken cities that became a source of disdain and mockery to the remnant of the nations that are all around. To all of these, I convey the word of God.

לָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים אִם־לֹא בְּאֵשׁ קִנְאָתִי דִבַּרְתִּי עַל־שְׁאֵרִית הַגּוֹיִם ועַל־אֱדוֹם כֻּלָּא אֲשֶׁר נָתְנוּ־אֶת־אַרְצִי לָהֶם לְמוֹרָשָׁה בְּשִׂמְחַת כָּל־לֵבָב בִּשְׁאָט נֶפֶשׁ לְמַעַן מִגְרָשָׁהּ לָבַז

Therefore, so said the Lord God: Surely, in the fire of My zealotry I have spoken against the remnant of the nations and specifically against all Edom (31:5), who designated My land as an inheritance for themselves with the joy of all their heart. They are overjoyed at the inheritance that they have received due to the expansion of their territory, and because it signifies the downfall of Israel. They have done so with contempt of the soul for Israel, so that its expulsion would become spoils, so that they may plunder the Land of Israel whose inhabitants have been exiled.

לָכֵן הִנָּבֵא עַל־אַדְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ לֶהָרִים וְלַגְּבָעוֹת לָאֲפִיקִים וְלַגֵּאָיוֹת כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים הִנְנִי בְקִנְאָתִי וּבַחֲמָתִי דִּבַּרְתִּי יַעַן כְּלִמַּת גּוֹיִם נְשָׂאתֶם

Therefore, prophesy concerning the soil of Israel, and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the streams and to the valleys: So said the Lord God: Behold, I, in My zealotry and in My fury, I have spoken, because you have borne the humiliation of the nations.

לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים אֲנִי נָשָׂאתִי אֶת־יָדִי אִם־לֹא הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר לָכֶם מִסָּבִיב הֵמָּה כְּלִמָּתָם יִשָּׂאוּ

Therefore, so said the Lord God: I have raised My hand. Raising one’s hand was, and remains, a customary method of taking an oath. However, this phrase may not be understood literally, as it is spoken by God. I take an oath that surely, the nations that are surrounding you, who have humiliated you, they will ultimately bear their own humiliation.

וְאַתֶּם הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַנְפְּכֶם תִּתֵּנוּ וּפֶרְיְכֶם תִּשְׂאוּ לְעַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי קֵרְבוּ לָבוֹא

But you, mountains of Israel, you will produce your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel, as they are drawing near.

כִּי הִנְנִי אֲלֵיכֶם וּפָנִיתִי אֲלֵיכֶם וְנֶעֱבַדְתֶּם וְנִזְרַעְתֶּם

For behold, I am ready for you, and I will turn to you, and you will be tilled and sown.

וְהִרְבֵּיתִי עֲלֵיכֶם אָדָם כָּל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלֹּה וְנוֹשְׁבוּ הֶעָרִים וְהֶחֳרָבוֹת תִּבָּנֶינָה

I will proliferate people upon you, all the house of Israel in its entirety, and the cities will be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt.

וְהִרְבֵּיתִי עֲלֵיכֶם אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה וְרָבוּ וּפָרוּ וְהוֹשַׁבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם כְּקַדְמוֹתֵיכֶם וְהֵיטִבֹתִי מֵרִאשׁתֵיכֶם וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי־אֲנִי ה'

I will proliferate men and animals upon you, and they will multiply and be fruitful, and I will cause you to be inhabited as you were in your past, before the exile, and I will do good to you, improve your condition, beyond your beginnings, and you will know that I am the Lord.

וְהוֹלַכְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם אָדָם אֶת־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וִירֵשׁוּךָ וְהָיִיתָ לָהֶם לְנַחֲלָה וְלֹא־תוֹסִף עוֹד לְשַׁכְּלָם

At that time, you will no longer be desolate: I will cause men to walk upon you, my people Israel, and they will take possession of you, each mountain, and you, the land, will be their inheritance, and you will no longer be bereaved of them.

כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים יַעַן אֹמְרִים לָכֶם אֹכֶלֶת אָדָם אָתְּ וּמְשַׁכֶּלֶת גּוֹיַיִךְ הָיִית

The prophet explains the reference to bereavement in the previous verse: So said the Lord God: Because they say of you: You are one who devours people, a land whose inhabitants are eliminated from the world time after time, nation after nation, and you were one who bereaves your nations;

לָכֵן אָדָם לֹא־תֹאכְלִי עוֹד וְגוֹיַיִךְ לֹא תְשַׁכְּלִי־עוֹד נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים

therefore, you will no longer devour people, and you will no longer bereave your nations – the utterance of the Lord God.

וְלֹא־אַשְׁמִיעַ אֵלַיִךְ עוֹד כְּלִמַּת הַגּוֹיִם וְחֶרְפַּת עַמִּים לֹא תִשְׂאִי־עוֹד וְגוֹיַיִךְ לֹא־תַכְשִׁלִי עוֹד נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים

I will not allow the humiliation of the nations to be heard against you anymore, and the disgrace of the peoples you will bear no longer, and you will not cause your nations to fail any longer – the utterance of the Lord God. The inhabitants of the land will dwell peacefully and in tranquility.

וַיְהִי דְבַר־ה' אֵלַי לֵאמֹר

The section begins with an overview of the history of the Jewish people: The word of the Lord was with me, saying:

בֶּן־אָדָם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל יֹשְׁבִים עַל־אַדְמָתָם וַיְטַמְּאוּ אוֹתָהּ בְּדַרְכָּם וּבַעֲלִילוֹתָם כְּטֻמְאַת הַנִּדָּה הָיְתָה דַרְכָּם לְפָנָי

Son of man, the house of Israel was dwelling in their land, and they defiled it with their way of life and with their exploits; their way was like the impurity of a menstruating woman, which distances her from her husband, before Me.

וָאֶשְׁפֹּךְ חֲמָתִי עֲלֵיהֶם עַל־הַדָּם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁפְכוּ עַל־הָאָרֶץ וּבְגִלּוּלֵיהֶם טִמְּאוּהָ

Therefore, I poured My fury upon them for the blood that they shed upon the land, through murder. Alternatively, this blood may be a reference to the image of the menstruating woman to which the nation is likened in the previous verse. Her blood spills on the ground, and it transmits impurity to others. And with their worship of idols they defiled it, the land.

וָאָפִיץ אֹתָם בַּגּוֹיִם וַיִּזָּרוּ בָּאֲרָצוֹת כְּדַרְכָּם וְכַעֲלִילוֹתָם שְׁפַטְתִּים

I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the lands; in accordance with their way and in accordance with their exploits I judged them. The children of Israel were not punished for naught; they were deserving of these harsh punishments due to the severity of their actions.

וַיָּבוֹא אֶל־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר־בָּאוּ שָׁם וַיְחַלְּלוּ אֶת־שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי בֶּאֱמֹר לָהֶם עַם־ה' אֵלֶּה וּמֵאַרְצוֹ יָצָאוּ

They came to the nations to which they came, and they profaned My holy name when it was said of them: These are the people of the Lord, and they went out from His land. The presence of a Jew in exile causes desecration of God’s name, as it is known that although he is a member of God’s people, he does not reside in God’s land. Gentiles who observe this wonder why God does not restore the Jew to His land.

וָאֶחְמֹל עַל־שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי אֲשֶׁר חִלְּלֻהוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר־בָּאוּ שָׁמָּה

I pitied My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they came.

לָכֵן אֱמֹר לְבֵית־יִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים לֹא לְמַעַנְכֶם אֲנִי עֹשֶׂה בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי אִם־לְ שֵׁם־קָדְשִׁי אֲשֶׁר חִלַּלְתֶּם בַּגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר־בָּאתֶם שָׁם

Therefore, say to the house of Israel: So said the Lord God: Not for your sake am I acting, house of Israel; rather, for the sake of My holy name that you have profaned among the nations to which you came.

וְקִדַּשְׁתִּי אֶת־שְׁמִי הַגָּדוֹל הַמְחֻלָּל בַּגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר חִלַּלְתֶּם בְּתוֹכָם וְיָדְעוּ הַגּוֹיִם כִּי־אֲנִי ה' נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים בְּהִקָּדְשִׁי בָכֶם לְעֵינֵיהֶם

I will sanctify My great name that was profaned among the nations that you profaned among them, and the nations will know that I am the Lord – the utterance of the Lord God – when I am sanctified through you before their eyes.

וְלָקַחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִן־הַגּוֹיִם וְקִבַּצְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִכָּל־הָאֲרָצוֹת וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם אֶל־אַדְמַתְכֶם

I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the lands, and I will bring you to your land.

וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם מִכּל טֻמְאוֹתֵיכֶם וּמִכָּל־גִּלּוּלֵיכֶם אֲטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם

There, in the Land of Israel, I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you will be purified; from all your impurities and from all your idols, I will purify you.

וְנָתַתִּי לָכֶם לֵב חָדָשׁ וְרוּחַ חֲדָשָׁה אֶתֵּן בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת־לֵב הָאֶבֶן מִבְּשַׂרְכֶם וְנָתַתִּי לָכֶם לֵב בָּשָׂר

Moreover, I will give you a new heart, a new inclination, and a new spirit I will place within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. Your hard heart will be removed and replaced with a soft and sensitive one. Your old spirit will also be replaced, as detailed in the next verse.

וְאֶת־רוּחִי אֶתֵּן בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וְעָשִׂיתִי ואֵת אֲשֶׁר־בְּחֻקַּי תֵּלֵכוּ וּמִשְׁפָּטַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם

I will place My spirit within you, and I will thereby act so that you will follow My statutes, and you will observe and perform My ordinances.

וִישַׁבְתֶּם בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם וִהְיִיתֶם לִי לְעָם וְאָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים

Then, everything will once again be as it should be: You will dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you will be My people, and I will be your God.

וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִכֹּל טֻמְאוֹתֵיכֶם וְקָרָאתִי אֶל־הַדָּגָן וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֹתוֹ וְלֹא־אֶתֵּן עֲלֵיכֶם רָעָב

I will save you from all your impurities; your sins and all matters associated with them will be removed from you. I will call for the grain, and I will increase it, causing the crops to flourish, and I will not bring famine upon you.

וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶת־פְּרִי הָעֵץ וּתְנוּבַת הַשָּׂדֶה לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִקְחוּ עוֹד חֶרְפַּת רָעָב בַּגּוֹיִם

I will increase the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field in your land, so that you will no longer be subject to the disgrace of famine, which is the reason you ask for charity from others among the nations.

וּזְכַרְתֶּם אֶת־דַּרְכֵיכֶם הָרָעִים וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־טוֹבִים וּנְקֹטֹתֶם בִּפְנֵיכֶם עַל עֲוֹנתֵיכֶם וְעַל תּוֹעֲבוֹתֵיכֶם

You will then remember your previous evil ways and your exploits that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and for your abominations. After having been purified and having seen that your lives have significantly improved, you will be able to look back with regret and disdain at your earlier misdeeds.

לֹא לְמַעַנְכֶם אֲנִי־עֹשֶׂה נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים יִוָּדַע לָכֶם בּוֹשׁוּ וְהִכָּלְמוּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל

Again: Not for your sake am I acting – the utterance of the Lord God – let it be known to you; be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, house of Israel. The knowledge that your redemption and purification is My doing, for My own sake, will cause you feelings of shame and regret.

כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים בְּיוֹם טַהֲרִי אֶתְכֶם מִכֹּל עֲוֹנוֹתֵיכֶם וְהוֹשַׁבְתִּי אֶת־הֶעָרִים וְנִבְנוּ הֶחֳרָבוֹת

So said the Lord God: On the day that I purify you from all your iniquities, I will cause the desolate cities to be inhabited and the ruins will be rebuilt.

וְהָאָרֶץ הַנְּשַׁמָּה תֵּעָבֵד תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה שְׁמָמָה לְעֵינֵי כָּל־עוֹבֵר

The desolate land will be tilled, instead of being desolation before the eyes of every passerby.

וְאָמְרוּ הָאָרֶץ הַלֵּזוּ הַנְּשַׁמָּה הָיְתָה כְּגַן־עֵדֶן וְהֶעָרִים הֶחֳרֵבוֹת וְהַנְּשַׁמּוֹת וְהַנֶּהֱרָסוֹת בְּצוּרוֹת יָשָׁבוּ

They who observe this sight will say: This desolate land has become like the Garden of Eden, and the ruined, desolate, and destroyed cities have once again been inhabited and fortified.

וְיָדְעוּ הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר יִשָּׁאֲרוּ סְבִיבוֹתֵיכֶם כִּי אֲנִי ה' בָּנִיתִי הַנֶּהֱרָסוֹת נָטַעְתִּי הַנְּשַׁמָּה אֲנִי דִּבַּרְתִּי וְעָשִׂיתִי

When the nations that will remain all around you see the restoration of the land and its people, they will know that I, the Lord, rebuilt the destroyed and planted the desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken, and acted. I am responsible both for the calamities that transpired and for the positive events that will transpire in the future.

כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים עוֹד זֹאת אִדָּרֵשׁ לְבֵית־יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם אַרְבֶּה אֹתָם כַּצֹּאן אָדָם

So said the Lord God: In this regard too, I will acquiesce to the house of Israel, to act on their behalf; I will multiply them like a flock of people. They will multiply like sheep, despite being people.

כְּצֹאן קָדָשִׁים כְּצֹאן יְרוּשָׁלִַם בְּמוֹעֲדֶיהָ כֵּן תִּהְיֶינָה הֶעָרִים הֶחֳרֵבוֹת מְלֵאוֹת צֹאן אָדָם וְיָדְעוּ כִּי־אֲנִי ה'

Like the consecrated flock, like the flock of Jerusalem, the great herds of sheep brought as offerings to the Temple on its festivals, so will the ruined cities be filled with a flock of people, and they will know that I am the Lord.