Ezekiel 36:1-7 Meaning: God Speaks to the Mountains
1You, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, “You mountains of Israel, hear Yahweh’s word.
2The Lord Yahweh says: ‘Because the enemy has said against you, “Aha!” and, “The ancient high places are ours in possession!”’
3therefore prophesy, and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh 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;”
4therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Yahweh: The Lord Yahweh 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;
5therefore the Lord Yahweh 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.”’
6Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and tell the mountains, the hills, the watercourses and the valleys, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my wrath, because you have borne the shame of the nations.”
7Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: “I have sworn, ‘Surely the nations that are around you will bear their shame.’
1Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord:
2Thus saith the Lord God; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession:
3Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people:
4Therefore, 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;
5Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.
6Prophesy 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:
7Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame.
1And thou, son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of Jehovah.
2Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha! and, The ancient high places are ours in possession;
3therefore prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because, even because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the nations, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and the evil report of the people;
4therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Jehovah: Thus saith the Lord Jehovah 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 are become a prey and derision to the residue of the nations that are round about;
5therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the nations, and against all Edom, that have appointed my land unto themselves for a possession with the joy of all their heart, with despite of soul, to cast it out for a prey.
6Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my wrath, because ye have borne the shame of the nations:
7therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I have sworn, saying, Surely the nations that are round about you, they shall bear their shame.
1And thou, son of man, prophesy unto mountains of Israel, and thou hast said, O mountains of Israel, hear a word of Jehovah.
2Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Because the enemy said against you, Aha, and the high places of old for a possession have been to us,
3therefore, prophesy, and thou hast said: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Because, even because, of desolating, And of swallowing you up from round about, For your being a possession to the remnant of the nations, And ye are taken up on the tip of the tongue, And are an evil report of the people.
4Therefore, O mountains of Israel, Hear a word of the Lord Jehovah: Thus said the Lord Jehovah, to mountains, and to hills, To streams, and to valleys, And to wastes that are desolate, And to cities that are forsaken, That have been for a prey, And for a scorn, to the remnant of the nations who are round about.
5Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Have I not, in the fire of My jealousy, Spoken against the remnant of the nations, And against Edom--all of it, Who gave My land to themselves for a possession, With the joy of the whole heart--with despite of soul, For the sake of casting it out for a prey?
6Therefore, prophesy concerning the ground of Israel, And thou hast said to mountains, and to hills, To streams, and to valleys, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I, in My jealousy, and in My fury, I have spoken, Because the shame of nations ye have borne.
7Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: I--I have lifted up My hand, Do not--the nations who are with you from round about--they their own shame bear?
1And thou, son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Mountains of Israel, hear the word of Jehovah.
2Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha! and, The ancient high places are become ours in possession;
3therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because, yea, because they have made [you] desolate, and have swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the remnant of the nations, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and in the defaming of the people:
4therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Jehovah. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah to the mountains and to the hills, to the water-courses and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the cities that are forsaken, which are become a prey and a derision to the remnant of the nations that are round about,
5— therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the remnant of the nations, and against the whole of Edom, which have appointed my land unto themselves for a possession with the joy of all [their] heart, with despite of soul, to plunder it by pillage.
6Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the water-courses and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the ignominy of the nations;
7therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I have lifted up my hand, [saying,] Verily the nations that are about you, they shall bear their shame.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God command Ezekiel to prophesy to the mountains of Israel? A devotional on God’s jealous love for His land and His people.
Context
Israel lies in ruins. The Babylonians have carried most of the people away, and the surrounding nations, especially Edom, are taunting the exiles. They sneer at the empty land and claim it for themselves. Ezekiel, himself living among the captives, receives a strange command from God: go out and speak to the mountains of Israel. Not to the people directly, but to the hills, valleys, and ruined cities.
This is more than poetry. The land of Israel belongs to God the way a garden belongs to a gardener. By addressing the mountains, God shows that He has not abandoned what is His. The enemy’s mockery has reached His ears, and He will answer, not with silence, but with a promise of restoration.
Key Words
Two words anchor this passage. The first is jealousy (verses 5, 6). In English, jealousy often sounds petty. But the Hebrew word behind it speaks of a protective, passionate commitment, like a husband who will not let another steal his wife. God’s jealousy here is His fierce love for His land and His people. He will not let Edom or any nation take what belongs to Him.
The second word is shame (verses 6, 7). Israel has “borne the shame of the nations”, the taunts, the mockery, the gloating. God responds by swearing an oath: the nations who shamed Israel will bear their own shame. This is not revenge for its own sake; it is God’s promise that the last word does not belong to the mockers. Every taunt will be answered, every wrong set right.
Notice also the gesture in verse 7: “I have lifted up mine hand.” In the ancient world, this was the way a person swore a binding oath. God is putting His own honor on the line. The restoration of Israel is not a maybe; it is as certain as God’s own name.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this passage as a powerful picture of God’s faithfulness. Wesleyan interpreters, like Adam Clarke, emphasize that God’s word to the mountains was meant to comfort the exiles in their despair. Reformed writers, including Matthew Henry, see it as evidence of God’s tender compassion, He does not abandon His covenant even when His people are in exile.
Catholic and Orthodox readings highlight the land as a sacred inheritance. The Douay-Rheims version translates “ancient high places” as “everlasting heights,” reminding readers that Israel’s land is tied to promises that stretch back to Abraham. Some modern evangelical teachers also see these verses as a foreshadowing of the final restoration of all things, when God will reclaim what the enemy has stolen.
All traditions agree on the central truth: God hears the mockery of His enemies and will act to vindicate His people and His holy name.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is to think this passage is only about physical land, that God cares more about real estate than about people. In fact, the land is personified because it is inseparably tied to the people. When God addresses the mountains, He is speaking to the whole story of His covenant. The land stands for the inheritance He promised to Abraham, the place where His name would dwell. God’s concern for the mountains is a concern for the people who belong to those mountains.
Living This Out
Maybe you know what it feels like to be mocked or overlooked. It could be at work, in your family, even inside your own head. The enemy’s taunts can echo for years: You’re not enough. You’ll never be restored. That dream is dead.
Ezekiel 36:1, 7 says that God hears every smug “Aha” spoken against what is His. And you, in Christ, are His. The same jealous love that rose up for the mountains of Israel rises up for you. You are not an abandoned ruin. God has lifted up His hand and sworn it.
This week, pick one shaming voice, the one that keeps telling you things are over, and tell it to God. Let Him answer in His time. The last word does not belong to the taunt.
Main takeaway: God hears the mockery of His enemies and swears to restore His people, turning their shame into honor.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God saw that mean people were laughing at His land and His people. So He spoke to the mountains and promised to take care of everything. God always keeps His promises.
For ages 9, 12
When the people of Israel were taken away as prisoners, their enemies laughed at them and said the land was theirs now. But God told Ezekiel to preach to the mountains themselves, as if the land could hear Him. Why? Because the land belonged to God, and He was not giving it up. This shows us that God never forgets what belongs to Him, even when things look empty. If you ever feel like people are laughing at you or you’ve lost something important, remember that God sees and He is working to make things right again.
Questions People Ask
Why does God command Ezekiel to speak to mountains instead of people?
The mountains of Israel represent the whole land, and the land is bound up with God’s covenant promises. By addressing the mountains, God is showing that the enemy’s taunts have not gone unheard and that He will reclaim what belongs to Him. It also gives the exiled people hope: if God speaks to the land, then the land is not abandoned.
What does God’s ‘jealousy’ mean in this passage?
God’s jealousy is not envy or pettiness. It is a fierce, protective love for what is rightfully His, His land, His people, His honor. When Edom and other nations mock Israel and claim the land, God’s jealousy flares up like fire. It is the reaction of a husband who sees someone trying to steal his wife.
Who are ‘the residue of the nations’ and Edom in Ezekiel 36?
The ‘residue of the nations’ refers to the neighboring peoples who survived Jerusalem’s fall and profited from Israel’s desolation. Edom (or Idumea) is singled out because they were especially hostile, they celebrated Israel’s downfall and actively took possession of the land. Other places in the Bible, like Obadiah, also condemn Edom for this cruelty.
Does this prophecy promise the modern nation of Israel the land today?
Christians read this prophecy differently. Some see it as pointing to the literal restoration of Israel after the Babylonian exile, which happened. Others believe it also anticipates a future restoration for ethnic Israel. Still others read the passage through Christ, understanding the land as a type of the inheritance all believers will share in the new creation. All agree that God is faithful to His covenant promises.
What does ‘lifted up mine hand’ mean in verse 7?
In the ancient Near East, lifting up the hand was a gesture used when swearing an oath. It is like raising your hand in a courtroom to promise to tell the truth. Here, God is swearing by His own honor that the surrounding nations will bear shame instead of Israel. It is a solemn, unbreakable promise.
For pastors & researchers
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