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You, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, “You mountains of Israel, hear the LORD’s word.
Verse 1. Israel. The restoration of the Jews and the redemption of Christ, constitute this fourth division. Worthington.—Edom has seized parts of the country, as if I had abandoned my people for ever.
The Lord GOD says: ‘Because the enemy has said against you, “Aha!” and, “The ancient high places are ours in possession!”’
Verse 2. Heights. Septuagint “deserts.” The mountains are often styled eternal, as being the best symbols of durability. Deuteronomy 33:15.
therefore prophesy, and say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Because, even because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that you might be a possession to the residue of the nations, and you are taken up in the lips of talkers, and the evil report of the people;”
Verse 3. Reproach. This God had repeatedly threatened. Deuteronomy 28:37. Calmet. Jeremiah 24:9.—People talked of their distress. Worthington.
therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: The Lord GOD says to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the cities that are forsaken, which have become a prey and derision to the residue of the nations that are all around;
therefore the Lord GOD says: “Surely in the fire of my jealousy I have spoken against the residue of the nations, and against all Edom, that have appointed my land to themselves for a possession with the joy of all their heart, with despite of soul, to cast it out for a prey.”’
Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and tell the mountains, the hills, the watercourses and the valleys, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my wrath, because you have borne the shame of the nations.”
Therefore the Lord GOD says: “I have sworn, ‘Surely the nations that are around you will bear their shame.’
“‘“But you, mountains of Israel, you shall shoot out your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel; for they are at hand to come.
Verse 8. Israel. Some apply what follows to the captives returning; others, perceiving that the expressions were not then literally verified, have recourse to the reign of 1000 years. Others again explain the whole of Christ’s Church. But some expressions refer to it, and others to the captives; which, though mixed together, induce no confusion, as what belongs to the Jews was a figure of what regarded Christ; and the predictions of the Messias might be applied to the Jews in a hyperbolical sense. Saint Augustine Doct. iii. 34. Saint Jerome Menochius. Tirinus. Calmet.
For, behold, I am for you, and I will come to you, and you will be tilled and sown.
I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, even all of it. The cities will be inhabited and the waste places will be built.
I will multiply man and animal on you. They will increase and be fruitful. I will cause you to be inhabited as you were before, and you will do better than at your beginnings. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
Verse 11. Greater. Septuagint “similar.” Bible.—It would be difficult to shew that the Jews arrived at greater eminence after the captivity than before, ( Calmet.) though they were less addicted to idolatry. Their kingdom was not independent: they had no prophets, and so forth But the superior numbers and excellence of the Christian Church is manifest.
Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, even my people Israel. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance, and you will never again bereave them of their children.”
Verse 12. Them. Antiochus and the Romans laid waste the country; ( Calmet.) and Adrian would not allow the Jews to come near Jerusalem. Saint Jerome Eus. iv. 6.—The people were not indeed removed together, as they had been. But all this is verified only in the Church, which in the midst of persecutions always subsists. Theodoret thinks these promises were conditional with respect to the Jews.
“‘The Lord GOD says: “Because they say to you, ‘You are a devourer of men, and have been a bereaver of your nation;’
Verse 13. Men. This remark was very ancient. Numbers 13:33. Wars had almost always raged in the country. Calmet.
therefore you shall devour men no more, and not bereave your nation any more,” says the Lord GOD.
“I won’t let you hear the shame of the nations any more. You won’t bear the reproach of the peoples any more, and you won’t cause your nation to stumble any more,” says the Lord GOD.’”
Verse 15. More. This whole promise principally relates to the Church of Christ, and God’s perpetual protection of her; for to the carnal Jews, they have been removed out of their land these sixteen hundred years. Challoner.
Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
“Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and by their deeds. Their way before me was as the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity.
Therefore I poured out my wrath on them for the blood which they had poured out on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols.
Verse 18. Blood of their own children, and of the innocent. Calmet. 16:36 and 22:2 and 33:25.
I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. I judged them according to their way and according to their deeds.
When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name, in that men said of them, ‘These are the LORD’s people, and have left his land.’
Verse 20. Land. Yet their conduct was no better than that of infidels. Thus they throw the blame on the law, and upon God himself. Jeremiah 48:9. and so forth Calmet.—The Jews had provoked God to punish them with captivity; and hence the nations took occasion to blaspheme, that he could not protect them.
But I had respect for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
“Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord GOD says: “I don’t do this for your sake, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.
Verse 22. Holy, that my attributes of justice and mercy may be confessed. Isaiah 48:2. Daniel 3:49. Judith 8:24.
I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am proven holy in you before their eyes.
“‘“For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
Verse 25. Water. R. David and the Chal. explain this of the remission of sin; and all Christians understand it of baptism in water, remitting all offences. Ephesians 5:26. Titus 3:5. Worthington.—He alludes to the purification of the Jews, which prefigured baptism and penance, in which the blood of Christ is applied to our souls. This of course was only fulfilled in his church.
I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
Verse 26. Flesh. The Jews at their return fell not so often into the sins of idolatry, and so forth of which the prophets complained. But yet they were far from answering this character. Great irregularities prevailed under Nehemias, and in the days of the Machabees the priests publicly worshipped idols. 1 Ezra 9. and 2 Ezra 5. and 8 and 2 Maccabees 4 and 5. Christ enables his servants to act with purity unto the end, by the influence of his all-powerful grace. Calmet.
I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You will keep my ordinances and do them.
Verse 27. Do them. Hence the efficacy of grace appears, (Saint Augustine Bible.) and hereby some keep the commandments. Worthington.—God assists our free-will. Theod. A.Lap. Calmet.
You will dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and will multiply it, and lay no famine on you.
I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, that you may receive no more the reproach of famine among the nations.
“‘“Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
I don’t do this for your sake,” says the Lord GOD. “Let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, house of Israel.”
“‘The Lord GOD says: “In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the waste places will be built.
The land that was desolate will be tilled instead of being a desolation in the sight of all who passed by.
They will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’
Then the nations that are left around you will know that I, the LORD, have built the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.”
“‘The Lord GOD says: “For this, moreover, I will be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them: I will increase them with men like a flock.
Verse 37. Find. Hebrew “seek.” I will cause great multitudes to come to the solemn feast. This was seen still more after the conversion of the Gentiles. Calmet.
As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so the waste cities will be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”