Ezekiel 36:1 kjv
Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD:
Ezekiel 36:1 nkjv
"And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, 'O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD!
Ezekiel 36:1 niv
"Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, 'Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD.
Ezekiel 36:1 esv
"And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD.
Ezekiel 36:1 nlt
"Son of man, prophesy to Israel's mountains. Give them this message: O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD!
Ezekiel 36 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 36:1 | "You, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD." | Direct prophecy |
| Isaiah 44:23 | "Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout, O depths of the earth." | Nature rejoicing in God's work |
| Isaiah 49:13 | "Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth, and break forth into singing, O mountains!" | Nature exulting in God's salvation |
| Psalm 96:11 | "Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;" | Nature celebrating God's coming |
| Psalm 148:7-10 | "Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps... mountains and all hills..." | Call for creation to praise God |
| Jeremiah 22:29 | "O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!" | Similar address to the land |
| Deuteronomy 4:26 | "witness against you this day..." (referring to heaven and earth) | Heaven and earth as witnesses to God's covenant |
| Deuteronomy 32:1 | "Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak;" | God calling heavens to listen to His words |
| Habakkuk 2:11 | "For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the wood will answer it." | Even inanimate objects bearing witness |
| Luke 19:40 | "...if these were silent, the very stones would cry out." | Jesus citing stones crying out |
| Revelation 6:12-14 | "The sun became black... the stars fell... the sky receded..." | Cosmic disturbances accompanying judgment |
| Romans 8:19-22 | "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God." | Creation's groaning and anticipation |
| Isaiah 55:12 | "You shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing..." | Mountains singing at restoration |
| Jeremiah 4:15 | "For a voice declares from Dan, and proclaims disaster from the hills of Ephraim." | Mountains used as locations for pronouncements |
| Jeremiah 51:46 | "Let the heavens and the earth shake..." | Call for shaking of heavens and earth |
| Psalm 77:18 | "Your way was in the sea, and your paths in the great waters, yet your footprints of the deep were not seen." | God's paths even in the deep |
| Job 38:36 | "Who has put wisdom in the inward parts, or given understanding to the weather vane?" | God's control over natural phenomena |
| Zephaniah 1:3 | "...and the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked;" | Inclusion of nature in judgment |
| Joel 3:16 | "The LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shake, but the LORD is a stronghold to his people..." | LORD's voice causing shaking of heavens and earth |
| Haggai 2:6 | "For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more I will shake the heavens and the earth..." | Shaking of heavens and earth in the future |
Ezekiel 36 verses
Ezekiel 36 1 Meaning
This verse declares that the mountains and hills, representing the elevated and prominent features of the land, are to hear the word of the LORD. It signifies that all of creation, even inanimate nature, will be witnesses to or recipients of God's pronouncements and judgments concerning Israel. It anticipates a divine address to the natural world about the desolation of the land due to Israel's sin and its subsequent restoration.
Ezekiel 36 1 Context
This verse opens Ezekiel chapter 36, which is a collection of prophetic oracles concerning the restoration of Israel after their exile in Babylon. The immediate preceding chapters (Ezekiel 30-35) deal with judgments against Egypt and other nations, as well as pronouncements of woe upon those who have oppressed Israel. This chapter shifts the focus to God's ultimate plan for His people and their land.
Historically, this prophecy would have been heard by the Jewish exiles in Babylon, who longed for a return to their homeland, which had been devastated by the Babylonians. The mountains of Israel, which were central to the identity and religious experience of the people (often associated with worship and dwelling places of God), are personified to hear God's word. This personification emphasizes the universal scope of God's actions and His sovereignty over all creation. The polemic aspect here is indirect, asserting God's absolute authority over the land, which pagan nations claimed and associated with their gods, and countering any notion that their deities had power over Israel or its territory.
Ezekiel 36 1 Word Analysis
- “You,” (atta): Direct address, singular or plural (contextually plural, addressing multiple mountains). Emphasizes direct accountability.
- “O”: Exclamatory particle, used for emphasis or solemn invocation.
- “mountains” (harei): Plural of "har" (hill, mountain). In Scripture, mountains often symbolize strength, stability, permanence, and divine presence (e.g., Mount Sinai, Mount Zion). The plural here suggests all prominent elevated landforms in the region.
- “of Israel” (yisra'el): Specifies the geographical and covenantal association. These are not just any mountains, but those belonging to God’s people.
- “hear” (shema): Imperative form of "shama," meaning to hear, listen, attend, obey. It's a profound command calling for active reception of information. It implies not just auditory reception but a response.
- “the word” (et-davar): "Davar" signifies a word, saying, matter, affair, thing. Here, it specifically refers to God's spoken declaration, His prophetic message.
- “of the LORD” (Adonai): "Adonai" is a primary title for God, emphasizing His sovereignty, mastership, and Lordship.
Words-group analysis:
- “mountains of Israel”: This phrase evokes images of the geography where significant events in Israel's history and spiritual life occurred. It anchors God's message to the physical landscape intimately tied to His covenant people, suggesting the land itself is a recipient of God's communicative action, often as a witness to His judgment and restoration.
- “hear the word of the LORD”: This command is a personification of nature, assigning it an active role in receiving divine communication. It highlights the profound significance and reach of God's pronouncements, extending even to inanimate creation. It's a call to attention that underscores the momentous nature of what God is about to declare.
Ezekiel 36 1 Bonus Section
The act of personifying mountains is a common rhetorical device in Hebrew prophecy to convey the comprehensive reach of God's judgment and salvation. It amplifies the message, suggesting that creation itself is attentive to God's actions regarding His people. This echoes the ancient concept of theophany, where God's presence was often associated with mountains (like Sinai and Zion). Therefore, calling upon the mountains to hear is a way of proclaiming that God's sovereignty extends over the land He chose, and the world will bear witness to His faithfulness to His covenant promises, even after the consequences of Israel's disobedience are displayed.
Ezekiel 36 1 Commentary
Ezekiel 36:1 dramatically initiates a new phase of prophecy focusing on restoration. By commanding the mountains to hear, Ezekiel personifies nature, illustrating the gravity and pervasive scope of God's word. This is not merely a message for human ears, but an announcement that resonates through the very fabric of the land God promised to Israel. The mountains, often symbols of Israel's enduring heritage and God’s presence, become witnesses to God’s unfolding plan. This opening sets the stage for declarations about the land’s desolation and eventual renewal, emphasizing that the natural world, like the people, is subject to God’s word and will be involved in the display of His glory.