TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 36

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1And you, O mortal, prophesy to the mountains of Yisrael and say: O mountains of Yisrael, hear the word of Hashem:

אוְאַתָּה בֶן־אָדָם הִנָּבֵא אֶל־הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁמְעוּ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה׃

2Thus said Hashem: Because the enemy gloated over you, “Aha! Those ancient heights have become our possession!”

בכֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה יַעַן אָמַר הָאוֹיֵב עֲלֵיכֶם הֶאָח וּבָמוֹת עוֹלָם לְמוֹרָשָׁה הָיְתָה לָּנוּ׃

3therefore prophesy, and say: Thus said Hashem: Just because they eagerly lusted to see you become a possession of the other nations round about, so that you have become the butt of gossip in every language and of the jibes from every people—

גלָכֵן הִנָּבֵא וְאָמַרְתָּ כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה יַעַן בְּיַעַן שַׁמּוֹת וְשָׁאֹף אֶתְכֶם מִסָּבִיב לִהְיוֹתְכֶם מוֹרָשָׁה לִשְׁאֵרִית הַגּוֹיִם וַתֵּעֲלוּ עַל־שְׂפַת לָשׁוֹן וְדִבַּת־עָם׃

4truly, you mountains of Yisrael, hear the word of Hashem: Thus said Hashem to the mountains and the hills, to the watercourses and the valleys, and to the desolate wastes and deserted cities which have become a prey and a laughingstock to the other nations round about:

דלָכֵן הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁמְעוּ דְּבַר־אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה לֶהָרִים וְלַגְּבָעוֹת לָאֲפִיקִים וְלַגֵּאָיוֹת וְלֶחֳרָבוֹת הַשֹּׁמְמוֹת וְלֶעָרִים הַנֶּעֱזָבוֹת אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ לְבַז וּלְלַעַג לִשְׁאֵרִית הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר מִסָּבִיב׃

5Assuredly, thus said Hashem: I have indeed spoken in My blazing wrath against the other nations and against all of Edom which, with wholehearted glee and with contempt, have made My land a possession for themselves for pasture and for prey.

הלָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה אִם־לֹא בְּאֵשׁ קִנְאָתִי דִבַּרְתִּי עַל־שְׁאֵרִית הַגּוֹיִם וְעַל־אֱדוֹם כֻּלָּא אֲשֶׁר נָתְנוּ־אֶת־אַרְצִי לָהֶם לְמוֹרָשָׁה בְּשִׂמְחַת כָּל־לֵבָב בִּשְׁאָט נֶפֶשׁ לְמַעַן מִגְרָשָׁהּ לָבַז׃

6Yes, prophesy about the land of Yisrael, and say to the mountains and the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, Thus said Hashem: Behold, I declare in My blazing wrath: Because you have suffered the taunting of the nations,

ולָכֵן הִנָּבֵא עַל־אַדְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ לֶהָרִים וְלַגְּבָעוֹת לָאֲפִיקִים וְלַגֵּאָיוֹת כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה הִנְנִי בְקִנְאָתִי וּבַחֲמָתִי דִּבַּרְתִּי יַעַן כְּלִמַּת גּוֹיִם נְשָׂאתֶם׃

7thus said Hashem: I hereby swear that the nations which surround you shall, in their turn, suffer disgrace.

זלָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה אֲנִי נָשָׂאתִי אֶת־יָדִי אִם־לֹא הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר לָכֶם מִסָּבִיב הֵמָּה כְּלִמָּתָם יִשָּׂאוּ׃

8But you, O mountains of Yisrael, shall yield your produce and bear your fruit for My people Yisrael, for their return is near.

v'-a-TEM ha-RAY yis-ra-AYL an-p'-KHEM ti-TAY-nu u-fer-y'-KHEM tis-U l'-a-MEE yis-ra-AYL kee kay-r'-VU la-VO

חוְאַתֶּם הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַנְפְּכֶם תִּתֵּנוּ וּפֶרְיְכֶם תִּשְׂאוּ לְעַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי קֵרְבוּ לָבוֹא׃

 36:8 But you, O mountains of Yisrael, shall yield your produce

Eshtaol Forest planted by the Jewish National Fund

In this prophecy, Hashem promises that the land will again be inhabited by the house of Israel and that it will flourish, pledging that the mountains will grow trees and produce fruits for the sake of His returning nation. Since the Jewish people have returned to Israel, the land has indeed begun to flourish, and there are once again trees growing throughout the land. In fact, under the direction of the Jewish National Fund, over 250,000,000 trees have been planted in Israel since 1901. While the world struggles with deforestation, Israel is the only country that ended the twentieth century with more trees than it had at its start. According to Rabbi Abba of the Talmud (Sanhedrin 98a), the flourishing of the Land of Israel described in this verse is a clear sign that the complete and final redemption is near.

9For I will care for you: I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown.

טכִּי הִנְנִי אֲלֵיכֶם וּפָנִיתִי אֲלֵיכֶם וְנֶעֱבַדְתֶּם וְנִזְרַעְתֶּם׃

10I will settle a large population on you, the whole House of Yisrael; the towns shall be resettled, and the ruined sites rebuilt.

יוְהִרְבֵּיתִי עֲלֵיכֶם אָדָם כָּל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלֹּה וְנֹשְׁבוּ הֶעָרִים וְהֶחֳרָבוֹת תִּבָּנֶינָה׃

11I will multiply men and beasts upon you, and they shall increase and be fertile, and I will resettle you as you were formerly, and will make you more prosperous than you were at first. And you shall know that I am Hashem.

יאוְהִרְבֵּיתִי עֲלֵיכֶם אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה וְרָבוּ וּפָרוּ וְהוֹשַׁבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם כְּקַדְמוֹתֵיכֶם וְהֵטִבֹתִי מֵרִאשֹׁתֵיכֶם וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי־אֲנִי יְהֹוָה׃

12I will lead men—My people Yisrael—to you, and they shall possess you. You shall be their heritage, and you shall not again cause them to be bereaved.

יבוְהוֹלַכְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם אָדָם אֶת־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וִירֵשׁוּךָ וְהָיִיתָ לָהֶם לְנַחֲלָה וְלֹא־תוֹסִף עוֹד לְשַׁכְּלָם׃

13Thus said Hashem: Because they say to you, “You are [a land] that devours men, you have been a bereaver of your nations,”

יגכֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה יַעַן אֹמְרִים לָכֶם אֹכֶלֶת אָדָם אתי [אָתְּ] וּמְשַׁכֶּלֶת גויך [גּוֹיַיִךְ] הָיִית׃

14assuredly, you shall devour men no more, you shall never again bereave your nations—declares Hashem.

ידלָכֵן אָדָם לֹא־תֹאכְלִי עוֹד וגויך [וְגוֹיַיִךְ] לֹא תכשלי־[תְשַׁכְּלִי־] עוֹד נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה׃

15No more will I allow the jibes of the nations to be heard against you, no longer shall you suffer the taunting of the peoples; and never again shall you cause your nations to stumble—declares Hashem.

טווְלֹא־אַשְׁמִיעַ אֵלַיִךְ עוֹד כְּלִמַּת הַגּוֹיִם וְחֶרְפַּת עַמִּים לֹא תִשְׂאִי־עוֹד וגויך [וְגוֹיַיִךְ] לֹא־תַכְשִׁלִי עוֹד נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה׃

16The word of Hashem came to me:

טזוַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר׃

17O mortal, when the House of Yisrael dwelt on their own soil, they defiled it with their ways and their deeds; their ways were in My sight like the uncleanness of a menstruous woman.

יזבֶּן־אָדָם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל יֹשְׁבִים עַל־אַדְמָתָם וַיְטַמְּאוּ אוֹתָהּ בְּדַרְכָּם וּבַעֲלִילוֹתָם כְּטֻמְאַת הַנִּדָּה הָיְתָה דַרְכָּם לְפָנָי׃

18So I poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they shed upon their land, and for the fetishes with which they defiled it.

יחוָאֶשְׁפֹּךְ חֲמָתִי עֲלֵיהֶם עַל־הַדָּם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁפְכוּ עַל־הָאָרֶץ וּבְגִלּוּלֵיהֶם טִמְּאוּהָ׃

19I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries: I punished them in accordance with their ways and their deeds.

יטוָאָפִיץ אֹתָם בַּגּוֹיִם וַיִּזָּרוּ בָּאֲרָצוֹת כְּדַרְכָּם וְכַעֲלִילוֹתָם שְׁפַטְתִּים׃

20But when they came to those nations, they caused My holy name to be profaned, in that it was said of them, “These are the people of Hashem, yet they had to leave His land.”

va-ya-VO el ha-go-YIM a-sher BA-u SHAM vai-kha-l'-LU et SHAYM kod-SHEE be-e-MOR la-HEM am a-do-NAI AY-leh u-may-ar-TZO ya-TZA-u

כוַיָּבוֹא אֶל־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר־בָּאוּ שָׁם וַיְחַלְּלוּ אֶת־שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי בֶּאֱמֹר לָהֶם עַם־יְהֹוָה אֵלֶּה וּמֵאַרְצוֹ יָצָאוּ׃

 36:20 They caused My holy name to be profaned

Yechezkel writes that the exile of the People of Israel among the nations caused a ‘desecration of God’s name,’ in Hebrew, chilul Hashem (חילול השם). Rashi explains that in response to the exile, the nations of the world would say “these are the Lord’s people and they left His land; apparently, He did not have the power to save His people and His land.” Hence, the exile of the people from Eretz Yisrael causes the name of the Lord to be profaned. It therefore follows that the redemption of this people and their return to their homeland results in a kiddush Hashem (קידוש השם), ‘sanctification of God’s name.’ As Yechezkel writes (verses 23-24), “And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations… I will take you from among the nations and gather you from all the countries, and I will bring you back to your own land.”

21Therefore I am concerned for My holy name, which the House of Yisrael have caused to be profaned among the nations to which they have come.

כאוָאֶחְמֹל עַל־שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי אֲשֶׁר חִלְּלוּהוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר־בָּאוּ שָׁמָּה׃

22Say to the House of Yisrael: Thus said Hashem: Not for your sake will I act, O House of Yisrael, but for My holy name, which you have caused to be profaned among the nations to which you have come.

כבלָכֵן אֱמֹר לְבֵית־יִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה לֹא לְמַעַנְכֶם אֲנִי עֹשֶׂה בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי אִם־לְשֵׁם־קָדְשִׁי אֲשֶׁר חִלַּלְתֶּם בַּגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר־בָּאתֶם שָׁם׃

23I will sanctify My great name which has been profaned among the nations—among whom you have caused it to be profaned. And the nations shall know that I am Hashem—declares Hashem—when I manifest My holiness before their eyes through you.

v'-ki-dash-TEE et sh'-MEE ha-ga-DOL ham-khu-LAL ba-go-YIM a-SHER khi-lal-TEM b'-to-KHAM v'-ya-d'-U ha-go-YIM kee a-NEE a-do-NAI n'-UM a-do-NAI e-lo-HEEM b'-hi-ka-d'-SHEE va-KHEM l'-ay-nay-HEM

כגוְקִדַּשְׁתִּי אֶת־שְׁמִי הַגָּדוֹל הַמְחֻלָּל בַּגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר חִלַּלְתֶּם בְּתוֹכָם וְיָדְעוּ הַגּוֹיִם כִּי־אֲנִי יְהֹוָה נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה בְּהִקָּדְשִׁי בָכֶם לְעֵינֵיהֶם׃

24I will take you from among the nations and gather you from all the countries, and I will bring you back to your own land.

כדוְלָקַחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִן־הַגּוֹיִם וְקִבַּצְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִכָּל־הָאֲרָצוֹת וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם אֶל־אַדְמַתְכֶם׃

25I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your fetishes.

כהוְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם מִכֹּל טֻמְאוֹתֵיכֶם וּמִכָּל־גִּלּוּלֵיכֶם אֲטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם׃

26And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit into you: I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh;

כווְנָתַתִּי לָכֶם לֵב חָדָשׁ וְרוּחַ חֲדָשָׁה אֶתֵּן בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת־לֵב הָאֶבֶן מִבְּשַׂרְכֶם וְנָתַתִּי לָכֶם לֵב בָּשָׂר׃

27and I will put My spirit into you. Thus I will cause you to follow My laws and faithfully to observe My rules.

כזוְאֶת־רוּחִי אֶתֵּן בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וְעָשִׂיתִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־בְּחֻקַּי תֵּלֵכוּ וּמִשְׁפָּטַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם׃

28Then you shall dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers, and you shall be My people and I will be your God.

כחוִישַׁבְתֶּם בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם וִהְיִיתֶם לִי לְעָם וְאָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים׃

29And when I have delivered you from all your uncleanness, I will summon the grain and make it abundant, and I will not bring famine upon you.

כטוְהוֹשַׁעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִכֹּל טֻמְאוֹתֵיכֶם וְקָרָאתִי אֶל־הַדָּגָן וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֹתוֹ וְלֹא־אֶתֵּן עֲלֵיכֶם רָעָב׃

30I will make the fruit of your trees and the crops of your fields abundant, so that you shall never again be humiliated before the nations because of famine.

לוְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶת־פְּרִי הָעֵץ וּתְנוּבַת הַשָּׂדֶה לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִקְחוּ עוֹד חֶרְפַּת רָעָב בַּגּוֹיִם׃

31Then you shall recall your evil ways and your base conduct, and you shall loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abhorrent practices.

לאוּזְכַרְתֶּם אֶת־דַּרְכֵיכֶם הָרָעִים וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־טוֹבִים וּנְקֹטֹתֶם בִּפְנֵיכֶם עַל עֲוׂנֹתֵיכֶם וְעַל תּוֹעֲבוֹתֵיכֶם׃

32Not for your sake will I act—declares Hashem—take good note! Be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, O House of Yisrael!

לבלֹא לְמַעַנְכֶם אֲנִי־עֹשֶׂה נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה יִוָּדַע לָכֶם בּוֹשׁוּ וְהִכָּלְמוּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

33Thus said Hashem: When I have cleansed you of all your iniquities, I will people your settlements, and the ruined places shall be rebuilt;

לגכֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה בְּיוֹם טַהֲרִי אֶתְכֶם מִכֹּל עֲוׂנוֹתֵיכֶם וְהוֹשַׁבְתִּי אֶת־הֶעָרִים וְנִבְנוּ הֶחֳרָבוֹת׃

34and the desolate land, after lying waste in the sight of every passerby, shall again be tilled.

לדוְהָאָרֶץ הַנְּשַׁמָּה תֵּעָבֵד תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה שְׁמָמָה לְעֵינֵי כָּל־עוֹבֵר׃

35And men shall say, “That land, once desolate, has become like the garden of Eden and the cities, once ruined, desolate, and ravaged, are now populated and fortified.”

להוְאָמְרוּ הָאָרֶץ הַלֵּזוּ הַנְּשַׁמָּה הָיְתָה כְּגַן־עֵדֶן וְהֶעָרִים הֶחֳרֵבוֹת וְהַנְשַׁמּוֹת וְהַנֶּהֱרָסוֹת בְּצוּרוֹת יָשָׁבוּ׃

36And the nations that are left around you shall know that I Hashem have rebuilt the ravaged places and replanted the desolate land. I Hashem have spoken and will act.

לווְיָדְעוּ הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר יִשָּׁאֲרוּ סְבִיבוֹתֵיכֶם כִּי אֲנִי יְהֹוָה בָּנִיתִי הַנֶּהֱרָסוֹת נָטַעְתִּי הַנְּשַׁמָּה אֲנִי יְהֹוָה דִּבַּרְתִּי וְעָשִׂיתִי׃

37Thus said Hashem: Moreover, in this I will respond to the House of Yisrael and act for their sake: I will multiply their people like sheep.

לזכֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה עוֹד זֹאת אִדָּרֵשׁ לְבֵית־יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם אַרְבֶּה אֹתָם כַּצֹּאן אָדָם׃

38As Yerushalayim is filled with sacrificial sheep during her festivals, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. And they shall know that I am Hashem. 1

לחכְּצֹאן קָדָשִׁים כְּצֹאן יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם בְּמוֹעֲדֶיהָ כֵּן תִּהְיֶינָה הֶעָרִים הֶחֳרֵבוֹת מְלֵאוֹת צֹאן אָדָם וְיָדְעוּ כִּי־אֲנִי יְהֹוָה׃