Ezekiel 36:4

therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD. This is what the Lord GOD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and abandoned cities, which have become a spoil and a mockery to the rest of the nations around you.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Lord GOD addresses the mountains, hills, ravines, valleys, ruins, and cities of Israel, declaring they have become a spoil and mockery to surrounding nations. This pronouncement follows the immediate context of Israel's desolation, trampling, and reduction to a possession and object of slander.

The words — The verse opens with לָ/כֵן (la./Khen, "therefore") and הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (ha.Rei Yis.ra.'El, "O mountains of Israel"), commanding the geography to hear the divine message. The formula כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה (koh-'a.do.Nai Yah.weh, "thus says the Lord GOD") introduces the declaration that follows.

The thread — Addressing the land's physical features as a corporate stand-in for Israel recalls the topographical description in Deuteronomy 11:11. The theme of national reproach to neighbors mirrors Psalm 79:4, while the impending reversal of this spoil aligns with the secure dwelling promised in Ezekiel 34:28.

Why it lands — The text states that God's word directly targets the ruined landscape and the nations that mocked it, establishing divine ownership over the judgment. It requires the reader to acknowledge that restoration begins only after God's speech confronts the reality of desolation and foreign contempt.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

לָכֵן֙la./Khen<to>/ therefore הָרֵ֣יha.ReiO mountains of יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsrael שִׁמְע֖וּshim.'Uhear דְּבַר־de.var-[the] word of אֲדֹנָ֣י'a.do.Nai[the] Lord יְהוִ֑הYah.wehYahweh כֹּֽה־koh-thus אָמַ֣ר'a.Marhe says אֲדֹנָ֣י'a.do.Nai[the] Lord יְ֠הוִהYah.wehYahweh לֶהָרִ֨יםle./ha.Rimto the/ mountains וְלַגְּבָע֜וֹתve./la./ge.va.'otand/ to the/ hills לָאֲפִיקִ֣יםla./'a.fi.Kimto the/ ravines וְלַגֵּאָי֗וֹתve./la./ge.'a.Yotand/ to the/ valleys וְלֶחֳרָב֤וֹתve./le./cho.ra.Votand/ to the/ waste places הַשֹּֽׁמְמוֹת֙ha./sho.me.mOt<the>/ desolate וְלֶעָרִ֣יםve./le./'a.Rimand/ to the/ cities הַנֶּעֱזָב֔וֹתha./ne.'e.za.Vot<the>/ forsaken אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhich הָי֤וּha.Yuthey have become לְבַז֙le./Vaz<into>/ spoil וּלְלַ֔עַגu./le./La.'agand/ <into>/ mockery לִשְׁאֵרִ֥יתli/sh.'e.Ritto/ [the] rest of הַגּוֹיִ֖םha./go.Yimthe/ nations אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich מִסָּבִֽיב׃ סmi./sa.Viv[are] from/ round about

King James Version

Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about;

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 11:11 But the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks in the rain from heaven.
Ezekiel 34:28 They will no longer be prey for the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not consume them. They will dwell securely, and no one will frighten them.
Psalms 79:4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us.
Ezekiel 36:1 “And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say: O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD.
Ezekiel 36:6 Therefore, prophesy concerning the land of Israel and tell the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I have spoken in My burning zeal because you have endured the reproach of the nations.
2 Chronicles 36:17 So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who put their young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar,
Isaiah 6:11 Then I asked: “How long, O Lord?” And He replied: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied and the land is desolate and ravaged,
Isaiah 24:1 Behold, the LORD lays waste the earth and leaves it in ruins. He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants—
Isaiah 64:10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wasteland and Jerusalem a desolation.
Jeremiah 25:9 behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.