“Therefore,
Thus says Yahweh God!
‘Now I will restore
The fortunes of Jacob.
I will have mercy
On the whole house
Of Israel.
I will be jealous
For my holy name.’”
Yahweh God, via Ezekiel, was clear. He was going to restore the fortunes of Jacob. He was going to have mercy on the whole house of Israel. However, he was still going to be jealous about his holy name.
“On that day,
I will cause
A horn
To spout up
For the house
Of Israel.
I will open
Your lips
Among them.
Then they will know
That I am Yahweh.”
On the day that Yahweh would choose, the horn of David would spring up again in the house of Israel. He was going to open up their lips so that they would know that he was Yahweh, their God. Thus Israel would be restored to its Davidic kingdom glory.
“‘I will restore Israel
To its pasture.
It shall feed on Carmel.
It shall feed in Bashan.
It shall feed on the hills of Ephraim.
It shall feed in Gilead.
Its hunger shall be satisfied.’
Says Yahweh.
‘In those days,
At that time,
The iniquity of Israel
Shall be sought.
None shall be found.
The sins in Judah,
Shall be sought.
None shall be found.
I will pardon
The remnant
That I have spared.’”
Both Israel and Judah would be restored. In the former northern Israelite kingdom, there would be plenty of satisfying food as four specific places are mentioned here, the Mediterranean costal Carmel area, the Bashan area on the east side of the Jordan River, the Ephraim territory north of the Benjamin territory, and the east bank area of the Gilead in the former Gad and Manasseh territory. No longer would there be any iniquity or sins found in Israel or Judah, even though people would look for them. Yahweh would forgive the sins of the remnant that was spared. All would be good again.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 