Ezekiel 36:4
in Ezekiel 36therefore, 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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;
KJV
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;
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This verse in Ezekiel 36
Commentary
8 notes on this verseTherefore - thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, etc. - They shall neither possess mountain nor valley, hill nor dale, fountain nor river; for though in my justice I made you desolate, yet they shall not profit by your disasters. See Eze 36:5-7.
This site's exposition
hear the word of the Lord GOD
on Ezekiel 36:4-7
God's jealousy is provoked chiefly by the nations' contempt of the land. “I have sworn with an uplifted hand” is the oath gesture of a sworn verdict. The nations who mocked “will endure reproach of their own” in turn, the same talion principle chapter 35 used against Edom.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Chapter XXXVI. — Verses 1 and following) \"But you, son of man, prophesy over the mountains of Israel and say, 'Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, because the enemy has said of you, 'Aha!
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord; and what he says to them he says to the hills, to the rivers, to the valleys, to the desolate wastes in the country, and to the cities that are forsaken,
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:83%@v3-4
It has become a prey to them; and they are all enriched with the plunder of it. When the Chaldeans had conquered them all their neighbours flew to the spoil as to a shipwreck, every one thinking all his own that he could lay his hands on (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord,....
Here is another that seems chiefly to concern their spiritual estate, wherein they are reminded of their former sins and God's judgments upon them, to humble them for their sins and under God's mighty hand,
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Inanimate creatures are addressed, to imply that the creature also, as it were, groans for deliverance from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God (Ro 8:19-21) [POLANUS]. The completeness of the renewed blessedness of all parts of the land is implied. derision-- (Ps 79:4).
The words behind it
27 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לָכֵן֙ | lakhen | <to> therefore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| הָרֵ֣י | harei | O mountains of | H2022 → | 546 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| שִׁמְע֖וּ | shimu | hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| דְּבַר־ | devar- | [the] word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֣י | ʾadonai | [the] Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| יְהוִ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3069 → | 306 times |
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֣ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֣י | ʾadonai | [the] Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| יְ֠הוִה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3069 → | 306 times |
| לֶהָרִ֨ים | leharim | to the mountains | H2022 → | 546 times |
| וְלַגְּבָע֜וֹת | velagevaot | and to the hills | H1389 → | 68 times |
| לָאֲפִיקִ֣ים | laafikim | to the ravines | H650 → | 19 times |
| וְלַגֵּאָי֗וֹת | velageayot | and to the valleys | H1516 → | 59 times |
| וְלֶחֳרָב֤וֹת | velechoravot | and to the waste places | H2723 → | 42 times |
| הַשֹּֽׁמְמוֹת֙ | hashomemot | <the> desolate | H8076 → | |
| וְלֶעָרִ֣ים | velearim | and to the cities | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| הַנֶּעֱזָב֔וֹת | haneezavot | <the> forsaken | H5800 → | 215 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָי֤וּ | hayu | they have become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְבַז֙ | levaz | <into> spoil | H957 → | 25 times |
| וּלְלַ֔עַג | ulelaag | and <into> mockery | H3933 → | |
| לִשְׁאֵרִ֥ית | lisherit | to [the] rest of | H7611 → | 66 times |
| הַגּוֹיִ֖ם | hagoyim | the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| מִסָּבִֽיב׃ ס | misaviv | [are] from round about | H5439 → | 336 times |
לָכֵן֙<to> therefore
lakhenH3651 →771 times
הָרֵ֣יO mountains of
hareiH2022 →546 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
שִׁמְע֖וּhear
shimuH8085 →1159 times
דְּבַר־[the] word of
devar-H1697 →1440 times
אֲדֹנָ֣י[the] Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
יְהוִ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3069 →306 times
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
אָמַ֣רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
אֲדֹנָ֣י[the] Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
יְ֠הוִהYahweh
yahwehH3069 →306 times
לֶהָרִ֨יםto the mountains
leharimH2022 →546 times
וְלַגְּבָע֜וֹתand to the hills
velagevaotH1389 →68 times
לָאֲפִיקִ֣יםto the ravines
laafikimH650 →19 times
וְלַגֵּאָי֗וֹתand to the valleys
velageayotH1516 →59 times
וְלֶחֳרָב֤וֹתand to the waste places
velechoravotH2723 →42 times
הַשֹּֽׁמְמוֹת֙<the> desolate
hashomemotH8076 →
וְלֶעָרִ֣יםand to the cities
velearimH5892 →1090 times
הַנֶּעֱזָב֔וֹת<the> forsaken
haneezavotH5800 →215 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הָי֤וּthey have become
hayuH1961 →3559 times
לְבַז֙<into> spoil
levazH957 →25 times
וּלְלַ֔עַגand <into> mockery
ulelaagH3933 →
לִשְׁאֵרִ֥יתto [the] rest of
lisheritH7611 →66 times
הַגּוֹיִ֖םthe nations
hagoyimH1471 →561 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
מִסָּבִֽיב׃ ס[are] from round about
misavivH5439 →336 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 11:11But the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks in the rain from heaven.
it leads to
- Hebrews 6:7
For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God.
- Deuteronomy 8:7–9
For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks and fountains and springs that flow through the valleys and hills;
- Psalms 65:12–13
The pastures of the wilderness overflow; the hills are robed with joy.
- Genesis 27:28
May God give to you the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth—an abundance of grain and new wine.
- Psalms 104:10–13
He sends forth springs in the valleys; they flow between the mountains.
- Hebrews 6:7
Through
Psalms 79:4We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 36:15
I will no longer allow the taunts of the nations to be heard against you, and you will no longer endure the reproach of the peoples or cause your nation to stumble, declares the…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 80:6
You make us contend with our neighbors; our enemies mock us.
- Ezekiel 36:15
Through
Ezekiel 34:28They 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.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 46:27
But you, O Jacob My servant, do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed, O Israel. For I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of…
- Jeremiah 46:27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies15
On this chapter
About Ezekiel

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
