Ezekiel 36 6

Ezekiel 36:6 kjv

Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen:

Ezekiel 36:6 nkjv

"Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, and the valleys, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and My fury, because you have borne the shame of the nations."

Ezekiel 36:6 niv

Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations.

Ezekiel 36:6 esv

Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I have spoken in my jealous wrath, because you have suffered the reproach of the nations.

Ezekiel 36:6 nlt

"Therefore, prophesy to the hills and mountains, the ravines and valleys of Israel. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am furious that you have suffered shame before the surrounding nations.

Ezekiel 36 verses

Ezekiel 36 6 meaning

Ezekiel 36:6 declares a divine message directed at the physical land of Israel. The Lord God is speaking with strong emotion—His protective jealousy and righteous wrath—because the land has endured profound shame and humiliation inflicted by surrounding nations. This prophetic utterance sets the stage for God's impending act of restoration, driven by His commitment to His own holy name, which was disgraced by Israel's desolate state.

Ezekiel 36 6 Context

Ezekiel 36:6 serves as a pivotal point in the book of Ezekiel. It follows a prolonged period of prophecies primarily centered on judgment: first against Judah and Jerusalem for their idolatry and unfaithfulness (Chapters 1-24), then against various surrounding nations who scorned Israel and capitalized on its downfall (Chapters 25-32), particularly Edom (Chapter 35). This verse initiates the book's major turn towards hope and restoration for the exilic community (Chapters 33-48).

Historically, the people of Israel were in Babylonian exile, Jerusalem was devastated, and the land lay desolate, attracting encroachment and scorn from neighbors. This period brought immense humiliation to Israel and, significantly, profaned the name of God among the nations, who questioned His power and fidelity. Within this context, God's declaration in Ezekiel 36:6 directly addresses the suffering of the physical land—its mountains, hills, ravines, and valleys—which became symbolic of the nation's broader plight. It proclaims God's intense, personal involvement in rectifying this state, not merely for Israel's sake, but for the honor of His holy name. This verse sets up the grand restoration promised in the subsequent verses of Chapter 36, emphasizing the re-inhabitation and rejuvenation of the land and its people.

Ezekiel 36 6 Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵן, lakhen): An important transition word, signifying a direct consequence or shift in divine discourse. It links the preceding condemnation of nations (specifically Edom's gloating over Israel's land in Chapter 35) to God's ensuing plan for Israel's restoration.
• prophesy (הִנָּבֵא, hinnave): A command to Ezekiel, indicating the divine and authoritative nature of the message. The prophet is God's mouthpiece, transmitting God's direct words.
• concerning the land of Israel (אֶל-אַדְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, el-admat Yisrael): Emphasizes the physical territory as the primary recipient of this prophetic message. This isn't just about the people but the very ground that God promised to Abraham. It highlights the profound connection between the people, the land, and the covenant.
• and say to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: This phrase powerfully personifies the land of Israel. Instead of just speaking about the land, God instructs Ezekiel to directly address its geographical features. This poetic device stresses the comprehensive nature of the land's suffering and ensures that the restoration will be equally comprehensive, encompassing every part of the devastated territory. It gives voice to the silent witness of the land during its desolation.
• Thus says the Lord God (כֹּה-אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, koh-amar Adonai YHWH): The standard prophetic formula, reinforcing that the words that follow are not Ezekiel's, but a direct, authoritative utterance from the sovereign God of Israel. It authenticates the divine source and gravity of the message.
• Behold (הִנֵּה, hinneh): An interjection used for emphasis, calling for heightened attention to the significant declaration that follows.
• I am speaking (אָנֹכִי דִבַּרְתִּי, anokhi dibbarti): Highlights God's direct personal involvement and authorship of the message. The first-person declaration underscores the divine initiative behind the restoration.
• in My jealousy (בְּקִנְאָתִי, bekin'ati): This is a key emotional attribute of God expressed here. Divine jealousy (Hebrew: qina) is not human envy but a righteous, intense, and zealous protection of what rightfully belongs to Him, particularly His covenant people and His holy name. It expresses His fervent intolerance of anything that defiles His honor or infringes upon His people and land. It is inseparable from His holiness and love.
• and in My wrath (וּבַחֲמָתִי, uvachamati): Refers to God's intense and righteous indignation. This wrath is not capricious but a just response to the offenses of the nations who abused His land and people, thereby bringing dishonor to His name. It signifies God's intention to mete out deserved punishment.
• because you have endured the disgrace of the nations (עַל אֲשֶׁר נְשָׂאתֶם כְּלִמַּת גּוֹיִם, al asher nesa'tem klimmat goyim): This identifies the specific reason for God's jealous wrath. "Endured" (or "borne," "carried") signifies the land's prolonged experience of suffering the "disgrace" (shame, humiliation, reproach). This disgrace came from the surrounding nations who mocked Israel's God, viewing Israel's desolation and exile as proof of His inability to protect His own, thereby defaming His holy name. God is acting to vindicate His name and restore honor.

Ezekiel 36 6 Bonus section

The personification of the land speaking or hearing God's word is not unique to Ezekiel 36:6 but is a recurring motif throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Isa 1:2; Jer 22:29; Ps 148:7-12). It underscores the biblical worldview that all creation, including inanimate features of the earth, is interconnected with divine judgment and salvation, often depicted as a witness or even participant in God's great drama of redemption. In Ezekiel, it particularly highlights the land's integral role in the Abrahamic covenant promises, demonstrating that God's restoration extends not just to the people, but to the very inheritance He promised them. The divine qina (jealousy/zeal) is also seen throughout the biblical narrative as a powerful, motivating aspect of God's character whenever His covenant relationship with Israel or His own holy name is threatened or dishonored, ultimately aimed at demonstrating His singular power and love.

Ezekiel 36 6 Commentary

Ezekiel 36:6 captures a critical turn in God's message through the prophet. After sustained prophecies of judgment against both Israel and its enemies, God initiates a promise of profound restoration rooted deeply in His own character. The land of Israel, personified as a silent sufferer, has borne the brunt of both Israel's unfaithfulness and the nations' malicious exploitation and mockery. This desecration of the land and humiliation of its people served to profane God's holy name among the surrounding nations, who saw it as a sign of God's weakness.

Therefore, God declares His intentions, driven by His fierce, protective jealousy (an aspect of His righteous love for His covenant) and His just wrath. This is not human jealousy but a divine zeal for His honor, a resolve to right the wrongs against His people and land, and to powerfully demonstrate His sovereignty to the world. His motivation is fundamentally theocentric: He acts not because Israel merits it, but because His own name has been dragged through the mud, and He will vindicate it. This sets the stage for the dramatic promises of national rebirth, spiritual renewal (a new heart and spirit), and physical repopulation and flourishing that define the rest of Ezekiel 36, all underscoring God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant and His commitment to glorify Himself.