⁵ So now, what do I have here,” declares Yahweh, “since My people have been taken away for nothing?” Yahweh declares, “Those who rule over them howl, and My ^(A)name is continually blasphemed all day long.

²⁰ Then they came to the nations to which they came. And they ^(A)profaned My holy name because it was said of them, ‘These are the ^(B)people of Yahweh; yet they have come out of His land.’ ²¹ But I ^[a]had concern for My ^(C)holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.

They Will Know That I Am Yahweh

²² “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “It is ^(D)not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations, to which you have come. ²³ I will ^(E)prove the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the ^(F)nations will know that I am Yahweh,” declares Lord Yahweh, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. ²⁴ And I will ^(G)take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring you into your own land. ²⁵ Then I will ^[b](H)sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your ^(I)uncleanness and from all your ^(J)idols. ²⁶ Moreover, I will give you a ^(K)new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the ^(L)heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ I will ^(M)put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to do My judgments. ²⁸ And you will inhabit the land that I gave to your fathers; so you will be ^(N)My people, and I will be your God. ²⁹ Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I ^(O)will not ^[c]bring a famine on you. ³⁰ I will ^(P)multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field so that you will not receive again the reproach of famine among the nations. ³¹ Then you will ^(Q)remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves to your own faces for your iniquities and your abominations. ³² I am not doing this ^(R)for your sake,” declares Lord Yahweh, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and feel dishonor for your ways, O house of Israel!”

³³ ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the ^(S)cities to be inhabited, and the ^(T)waste places will be rebuilt. ³⁴ The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by. ³⁵ And they will say, ‘This desolate land has become like the ^(U)garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate, and ^[d]ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’ ³⁶ Then the nations that remain all around you will know that I, Yahweh, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, Yahweh, have spoken and ^(V)will do it.”

³⁷ ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “This also I will let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do for them: I will increase their men like a flock. ³⁸ Like the ^(W)flock for holy offerings, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed times, so will the waste cities be filled with ^(X)flocks of men. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.”’”