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Ezekiel 36

Amplified Bible, 2015 (AMP)

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¹ Now hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel, Who hate and reject justice And twist everything that is straight,

² Who build Zion with blood [and extortion and murder] And Jerusalem with violent injustice.

³ Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests teach for a fee, And her prophets foretell for money; Yet they lean on the LORD, saying, "Is not the LORD among us? No tragedy or distress will come on us."

⁴ Therefore, on account of you [1] Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become[2] a heap of ruins, And the mountain of the house [of the LORD] shall become like a densely wooded hill.

⁵ But it shall come about in the last days That the mountain of the house of the LORD Shall be established as the highest and chief of the mountains; It shall be above the hills, And peoples shall flow [like a river] to it.

⁶ And many nations shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob, That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For the law shall go forward from Zion, And the word of the LORD [the revelation about Him and His truth] from Jerusalem.

⁷ And He will judge between many peoples And render decisions for strong and distant nations. Then they shall hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks [so that the implements of war may become the tools of agriculture]; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Nor shall they ever again train for war.

⁸ Each of them shall sit [in security and peace] under his vine And under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid, For the mouth of the [omnipotent] LORD of hosts has spoken it.

⁹ For all the peoples [now] walk Each in the name of his god [in a transient relationship], As for us, we shall walk [securely] In the name of the LORD our [true] God forever and ever.

¹⁰ "In that day," says the LORD, "I shall assemble the lame, And gather the outcasts [from foreign captivity], Even those whom I have caused pain.

¹¹ "I shall make the lame a [godly] remnant And the outcasts a strong nation; And the LORD shall reign over them in Mount Zion From this time on and forever.

¹² "As for you [Jerusalem], tower of the flock [of Israel], Hill and stronghold of the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem's inhabitants), To you the former dominion shall come, The kingdom of the Daughter of Jerusalem [when the Messiah reigns in Jerusalem, and the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled].

¹³ "Now, why do you cry out loudly? Is there no king among you? Has your counselor perished? For agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth.

¹⁴ "Writhe in pain and labor to give birth, O Daughter of Zion, Like a woman in childbirth; For now you shall go out of the city, Live in the field, And go to Babylon. There you will be rescued; There the LORD shall redeem you From the hand of your enemies.

¹⁵ "Now many [conquering] nations are assembled against you, Who say, 'Let her be profaned [through Gentile presence and the temple's destruction], And let our eyes gaze on and gloat over Zion.'

¹⁶ "But they (Gentile nations) do not know the thoughts of the LORD, Nor do they understand His purpose and plan; For He has gathered them (Gentiles) like sheaves to the threshing floor [for destruction].

¹⁷ "Arise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion! For I will make your horn iron And I will make your hoofs bronze; That you may beat many peoples in pieces [trampling down your enemies], That you may devote to the LORD their unjust gain (pagan possessions) And their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

¹⁸ "Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; A state of siege has been placed against us. They shall strike the ruler of Israel on the cheek with a rod (scepter).

¹⁹ "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah; From you One shall come forth for Me [who is] to be Ruler in Israel, His goings forth (appearances) are from long ago, From[1] ancient days."

²⁰ Therefore, He will give them up until the time When she who is in labor has given birth to a child. Then what is left of His kinsmen Shall return to the children of Israel.

²¹ And He shall stand and shepherd and guide His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God; And they shall dwell [secure in undisturbed peace], Because at that time He shall be great [extending His authority] [Even] to the ends of the earth.

²² This One [the Messiah] shall be our peace. When the Assyrian invades our land And tramples on our citadels and in our palaces, Then shall we raise against him Seven shepherds and eight princes [an overpowering force] among men.

²³ They shall devastate the land of Assyria with the sword and The land of Nimrod within her [own] gates. And He (the Messiah) shall rescue us from the Assyrian (all enemy nations) When he attacks our land And when he tramples our territory.

²⁴ Then the remnant of Jacob Shall be among many peoples Like dew from the LORD, Like showers on the grass [a source of blessing] Which [come suddenly and] do not wait for man Nor delay for the sons of men.

²⁵ The remnant of Jacob Shall be among the nations, In the midst of many peoples Like a lion among the beasts of the forest, Like a young lion [suddenly appearing] among the flocks of sheep Which, if he passes through, Tramples down and tears into pieces [the nations in judgment], And there is no one to rescue.

²⁶ Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries, And all your enemies shall be cut off and destroyed.

²⁷ "And in that day," says the LORD, "I will cut off your horses from among you And destroy your chariots [on which you depend].

²⁸ "I will cut off the cities of your land And tear down all your fortifications.

²⁹ "I will cut off witchcrafts and sorceries from your hand, And you shall have no more fortune-tellers.

³⁰ "I will also cut off your carved images And your sacred pillars from among you, So that you will no longer worship and bow down To the work of your hands.

³¹ "I will root out your Asherim (symbols of the goddess Asherah) from among you And destroy your cities [which are the centers of pagan worship].

³² "And in anger and wrath I shall execute vengeance On the nations which have not obeyed [such vengeance as they have not known before]."

³³ Hear now what the LORD is saying, "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, And let the hills [as witnesses] hear your voice.

³⁴ "Hear, O mountains, the indictment of the LORD, And you enduring foundations of the earth, For the LORD has a case (a legal complaint) against His people, And He will dispute (challenge) Israel.

³⁵ "O My people, what have I done to you [since you have turned away from Me]? And how have I wearied you? Answer Me.

³⁶ "For I brought you up from the land of Egypt And ransomed you from the house of slavery, And I sent before you Moses [to lead you], Aaron [the high priest], and Miriam [the prophetess].

³⁷ "My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab devised [with his evil plan against Israel] And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him [turning the curse into blessing for Israel], [Remember what the LORD did for you] from[1] Shittim to Gilgal, So that you may know the righteous and saving acts [displaying the power] of the LORD."

³⁸ With what shall I come before the LORD [to honor Him] And bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves?

#	AMP
1	Now hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel, Who hate and reject justice And twist everything that is straight,
2	Who build Zion with blood [and extortion and murder] And Jerusalem with violent injustice.
3	Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests teach for a fee, And her prophets foretell for money; Yet they lean on the LORD, saying, "Is not the LORD among us? No tragedy or distress will come on us."
4	Therefore, on account of you [1] Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become[2] a heap of ruins, And the mountain of the house [of the LORD] shall become like a densely wooded hill.
5	But it shall come about in the last days That the mountain of the house of the LORD Shall be established as the highest and chief of the mountains; It shall be above the hills, And peoples shall flow [like a river] to it.
6	And many nations shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob, That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For the law shall go forward from Zion, And the word of the LORD [the revelation about Him and His truth] from Jerusalem.
7	And He will judge between many peoples And render decisions for strong and distant nations. Then they shall hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks [so that the implements of war may become the tools of agriculture]; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Nor shall they ever again train for war.
8	Each of them shall sit [in security and peace] under his vine And under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid, For the mouth of the [omnipotent] LORD of hosts has spoken it.
9	For all the peoples [now] walk Each in the name of his god [in a transient relationship], As for us, we shall walk [securely] In the name of the LORD our [true] God forever and ever.
10	"In that day," says the LORD, "I shall assemble the lame, And gather the outcasts [from foreign captivity], Even those whom I have caused pain.
11	"I shall make the lame a [godly] remnant And the outcasts a strong nation; And the LORD shall reign over them in Mount Zion From this time on and forever.
12	"As for you [Jerusalem], tower of the flock [of Israel], Hill and stronghold of the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem's inhabitants), To you the former dominion shall come, The kingdom of the Daughter of Jerusalem [when the Messiah reigns in Jerusalem, and the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled].
13	"Now, why do you cry out loudly? Is there no king among you? Has your counselor perished? For agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth.
14	"Writhe in pain and labor to give birth, O Daughter of Zion, Like a woman in childbirth; For now you shall go out of the city, Live in the field, And go to Babylon. There you will be rescued; There the LORD shall redeem you From the hand of your enemies.
15	"Now many [conquering] nations are assembled against you, Who say, 'Let her be profaned [through Gentile presence and the temple's destruction], And let our eyes gaze on and gloat over Zion.'
16	"But they (Gentile nations) do not know the thoughts of the LORD, Nor do they understand His purpose and plan; For He has gathered them (Gentiles) like sheaves to the threshing floor [for destruction].
17	"Arise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion! For I will make your horn iron And I will make your hoofs bronze; That you may beat many peoples in pieces [trampling down your enemies], That you may devote to the LORD their unjust gain (pagan possessions) And their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
18	"Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; A state of siege has been placed against us. They shall strike the ruler of Israel on the cheek with a rod (scepter).
19	"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah; From you One shall come forth for Me [who is] to be Ruler in Israel, His goings forth (appearances) are from long ago, From[1] ancient days."
20	Therefore, He will give them up until the time When she who is in labor has given birth to a child. Then what is left of His kinsmen Shall return to the children of Israel.
21	And He shall stand and shepherd and guide His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God; And they shall dwell [secure in undisturbed peace], Because at that time He shall be great [extending His authority] [Even] to the ends of the earth.
22	This One [the Messiah] shall be our peace. When the Assyrian invades our land And tramples on our citadels and in our palaces, Then shall we raise against him Seven shepherds and eight princes [an overpowering force] among men.
23	They shall devastate the land of Assyria with the sword and The land of Nimrod within her [own] gates. And He (the Messiah) shall rescue us from the Assyrian (all enemy nations) When he attacks our land And when he tramples our territory.
24	Then the remnant of Jacob Shall be among many peoples Like dew from the LORD, Like showers on the grass [a source of blessing] Which [come suddenly and] do not wait for man Nor delay for the sons of men.
25	The remnant of Jacob Shall be among the nations, In the midst of many peoples Like a lion among the beasts of the forest, Like a young lion [suddenly appearing] among the flocks of sheep Which, if he passes through, Tramples down and tears into pieces [the nations in judgment], And there is no one to rescue.
26	Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries, And all your enemies shall be cut off and destroyed.
27	"And in that day," says the LORD, "I will cut off your horses from among you And destroy your chariots [on which you depend].
28	"I will cut off the cities of your land And tear down all your fortifications.
29	"I will cut off witchcrafts and sorceries from your hand, And you shall have no more fortune-tellers.
30	"I will also cut off your carved images And your sacred pillars from among you, So that you will no longer worship and bow down To the work of your hands.
31	"I will root out your Asherim (symbols of the goddess Asherah) from among you And destroy your cities [which are the centers of pagan worship].
32	"And in anger and wrath I shall execute vengeance On the nations which have not obeyed [such vengeance as they have not known before]."
33	Hear now what the LORD is saying, "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, And let the hills [as witnesses] hear your voice.
34	"Hear, O mountains, the indictment of the LORD, And you enduring foundations of the earth, For the LORD has a case (a legal complaint) against His people, And He will dispute (challenge) Israel.
35	"O My people, what have I done to you [since you have turned away from Me]? And how have I wearied you? Answer Me.
36	"For I brought you up from the land of Egypt And ransomed you from the house of slavery, And I sent before you Moses [to lead you], Aaron [the high priest], and Miriam [the prophetess].
37	"My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab devised [with his evil plan against Israel] And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him [turning the curse into blessing for Israel], [Remember what the LORD did for you] from[1] Shittim to Gilgal, So that you may know the righteous and saving acts [displaying the power] of the LORD."
38	With what shall I come before the LORD [to honor Him] And bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves?

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