Ezekiel 36:4

Ezekiel 36:4

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; 

a. ASV: Therefore, 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;

b. YLT: Therefore, 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.

c. Amplified Bible Classic: Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God: Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate wastes and the cities that are forsaken, that have become a prey and derision to the rest of the nations that are round about;

d. Septuagint: Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord to the mountains, and to the hills, and to the streams, and to the valleys, and to [the places] that have been made desolate and destroyed, and to the cities that have been deserted, and have become a spoil and a trampling to the nations that were left round about;

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord HASHEM/Elohim! Thus said the Lord HASHEM/ELOHIM to the mountains and to the hills, to the streams and to the valleys, to the desolate ruins and to the forlorn cities, which have become a scorn, and a derision for the remaining nations all around.

1. “Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD…”

a. Therefore [Strong: 3651 ken kane from 3559; properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles):--+ after that (this, -ward, -wards), as ... as, + (for-)asmuch as yet, + be (for which) cause, + following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), X the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (thing), surely, + there (where)-fore, this, thus, true, well, X you.]

b. [ye] mountains [Strong: 2022 har, har; a shortened form of H2042; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively):—hill (country), mount(-ain), × promotion.]

c. [of] Israel [Strong: 3478 Yisrâʼêl, yis-raw-ale'; from H8280 and H410; he will rule as God; Jisraël, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:—Israel.]

d. hear [Strong: 8085 shâmaʻ, shaw-mah'; a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.):—× attentively, call (gather) together, × carefully, × certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, × diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), × indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, × surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.]

e. [the] word [Strong: 1697 dâbâr, daw-baw'; from H1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause:—act, advice, affair, answer, × any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, chronicles, commandment, × commune(-ication), concern(-ing), confer, counsel, dearth, decree, deed, × disease, due, duty, effect, eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, glory, harm, hurt, iniquity, judgment, language, lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, × ought, × parts, pertaining, please, portion, power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, × (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, sign, so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, song, speech, × spoken, talk, task, that, × there done, thing (concerning), thought, thus, tidings, what(-soever), wherewith, which, word, work.]

f. [of the] Lord [Strong: 136 ʼĂdônây, ad-o-noy'; an emphatic form of H113; the Lord (used as a proper name of God only):—(my) Lord.]

g. GOD [Strong: 3069 Yᵉhôvih, yeh-ho-vee'; a variation of H3068 [used after H136, and pronounced by Jews as H430, in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since they elsewhere pronounce H3068 as H136]:—God.]

2. “...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…”

a. Thus [Strong: 3541 koh ko from the prefix k and 1931; properly, like this, i.e. by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now:--also, here, + hitherto, like, on the other side, so (and much), such, on that manner, (on) this (manner, side, way, way and that way), + mean while, yonder.]

b. saith [Strong: 559 ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.]

c. the] Lord [Strong: 136 ʼĂdônây, ad-o-noy'; an emphatic form of H113; the Lord (used as a proper name of God only):—(my) Lord.]

d. GOD [Strong: 3069 Yᵉhôvih, yeh-ho-vee'; a variation of H3068 [used after H136, and pronounced by Jews as H430, in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since they elsewhere pronounce H3068 as H136]:—God.]

e. [to the] mountains [Strong: 2022 har, har; a shortened form of H2042; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively):—hill (country), mount(-ain), × promotion.]

f. [and to the] hills [Strong: 1389 gibʻâh, ghib-aw'; feminine from the same as H1387; a hillock:—hill, little hill.]

g. [to the] rivers [Strong: 650 ʼâphîyq, aw-feek'; from H622; properly, containing, i.e. a tube; also a bed or valley of a stream; also a strong thing or a hero:—brook, channel, mighty, river, scale, stream, strong piece.]

h. [and to the] valleys [Strong: 1516 gayʼ, gah'-ee; or (shortened) גַּי gay; probably (by transmutation) from the same root as H1466 (abbreviated); a gorge (from its lofty sides; hence, narrow, but not a gully or winter-torrent):—valley.]

i. [to the] desolate [Strong: 8074 shâmêm, shaw-mame'; a primitive root; to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a passive sense):—make amazed, be astonied, (be an) astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make) desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay, lie, make) waste, wonder.]

j. wastes [Strong: 2723 chorbâh, khor-baw'; feminine of H2721; properly, drought, i.e. (by implication) a desolation:—decayed place, desolate (place, -tion), destruction, (laid) waste (place).]

k. [and to the] cities [Strong: 5892 ʻîyr, eer; or (in the plural) עָר ʻâr; or עָיַר ʻâyar; (Judges 10:4), from H5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post):—Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.]

l. [that are] forsaken [Strong: 5800  ʻâzab, aw-zab'; a primitive root; to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc.:—commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave (destitute, off), refuse, × surely.]

1). From an archeological perspective the West bank/Mountains of Israel are a treasure trove. One website, http://www.alt-arch.org/westbank.php lists “nearly 6000 archaeological features, 1600 excavations, and 1000 referenced publications”. The Mountains of Israel are a place of waste and desolation, but at the same time a place of wonder.

2). In the Land for Peace initiative Israel would be forced to give up part of its land inheritance in order to achieve peace. Such thinking is blasphemous and stupid. Israel has relinquished, forsaken many parts of its inheritance under intense outside pressure. In 2005 the Bush Administration  put intense pressure on Israel to withdraw from Gaza. Gaza according to Joshua 13 was part of Israel’s inheritance.

a). Joshua 13:1-6  Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.

13:2 This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,

13:3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:

13:4 From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites:

13:5 And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baalgad under mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath.

13:6 All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

b). The result of the relinquishing of the inheritance from Gaza was the establishment of a base where Hamas could launch rockets into Israel. From January 2012 to November 2012, 2,256 rockets had been launched from Gaza into Israel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Palestinian_rocket_attacks_on_Israel,_2012

2. “…which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about.”

a. which [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

b. become [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

c. [a] prey [Strong: 957 baz, baz; from H962; plunder:—booty, prey, spoil(-ed).]

d. [and a] derision [Strong: 3933 laʻag, lah'-ag; from H3932; derision, scoffing:—derision, scorn (-ing).]

e. [to the] residue [Strong: 7611 shᵉʼêrîyth, sheh-ay-reeth'; from H7604; a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portion:—that had escaped, be left, posterity, remain(-der), remnant, residue, rest.]

f. gôwy, go'-ee; rarely (shortened) גֹּי gôy; apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:—Gentile, heathen, nation, people.]

g. that [are] [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

h. round about [Strong: 5439 çâbîyb, saw-beeb'; or (feminine) סְבִיבָה çᵉbîybâh; from H5437; (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around:—(place, round) about, circuit, compass, on every side.]

1). [NIV] “…to the desolate ruins and the deserted town that have been plundered and ridiculed by the rest of the nations around you.” 

2). The following is a United Nations resolution regarding the land of Israel. It is slander. 

a). Resolution 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967The Security Council,
Expressing its continuing concern with the grave situation in the Middle East,
Emphasizing the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war and the need to work for a just and lasting peace in which every State in the area can live in security, Emphasizing further that all Member States in their acceptance of the Charter of the United Nations have undertaken a commitment to act in accordance with Article 2 of the Charter, 1. Affirms that the fulfilment of Charter principles requires the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East which should include the application of both the following principles:

(i) Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict;

(ii) Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force; 2. Affirms further the necessity
(a) For guaranteeing freedom of navigation through international waterways in the area;

(b) For achieving a just settlement of the refugee problem; (c) For guaranteeing the territorial inviolability and political independence of every State in the area, through measures including the establishment of demilitarized zones;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to designate a Special Representative to proceed to the Middle East to establish and maintain contacts with the States concerned in order to promote agreement and assist efforts to achieve a peaceful and accepted settlement in accordance with the provisions and principles in this resolution;

3). Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council on the progress of the efforts of the Special Representative as soon as possible.

Adopted unanimously at the 1382nd meeting.