Ezekiel 36:24

“A New Heart and a New Spirit”· Ezekiel 36:24–28
Translation
King James Version
For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
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KJV (with Strong's)
For I will take H3947 you from among H4480 the heathen H1471, and gather H6908 you out of all countries H776, and will bring H935 you into your own land H127.
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Complete Jewish Bible
For I will take you from among the nations, gather you from all the countries, and return you to your own soil.
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Berean Standard Bible
For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and I will bring you back into your own land.
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American Standard Version
For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.
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World English Bible Messianic
For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your owne land.
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Young's Literal Translation
And I have taken you out of the nations, And have gathered you out of all the lands, And I have brought you in unto your land,
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See also
Ezekiel 37:21Ezekiel 34:13Amos 9:14Amos 9:15Psalms 107:2Psalms 107:3Deuteronomy 30:3
In the KJVVerse 21,384 of 31,102 · 68.8%

Study This Verse

Summary

Ezekiel 36:24 stands as a profound declaration of Yahweh's sovereign intent to restore the exiled nation of Israel. Following a period of severe judgment and dispersion among the Gentile nations due to their profound unfaithfulness, God unequivocally states His commitment to physically gather His scattered people from every corner of the earth and return them to their ancestral land. This divinely initiated act of regathering is presented not as a reward for Israel's merit, but as a foundational step in a broader, redemptive plan of spiritual renewal, ultimately designed to vindicate and glorify God's holy name before all the nations.

Context

Literary Context

Ezekiel 36:24 is strategically positioned within a pivotal prophetic oracle (Ezekiel 36:16-38) that marks a dramatic shift in the book of Ezekiel from pronouncements of judgment to promises of restoration. The preceding verses (Ezekiel 36:16-23) meticulously detail the reasons for Israel's devastating exile: their defilement of the land and God's sacred name through pervasive idolatry, moral corruption, and covenant unfaithfulness. Crucially, God explicitly declares that His impending act of restoration is not motivated by Israel's righteousness, but solely by His zealous concern for His own holy name, which had been profaned and blasphemed among the nations due to Israel's disgrace. Verse 24, therefore, serves as the initial, concrete promise of physical regathering, establishing the necessary precondition for the profound spiritual transformation described immediately thereafter, including the promise of a new heart and a new spirit and the indwelling of God's Spirit in Ezekiel 36:27. The physical return is thus portrayed as an indispensable precursor to the deeper, spiritual renewal that will enable Israel to live in covenant obedience.

Historical & Cultural Context

The prophecy in Ezekiel 36 was delivered during the harrowing period of the Babylonian exile, a time of profound national trauma and despair for the Israelites. Jerusalem, their beloved capital, lay in ruins, the magnificent Temple was destroyed, and the people were forcibly scattered across various regions of the vast Babylonian Empire. This dire context is paramount, as the exiles would have grappled with feelings of abandonment, believing that God had forsaken them or that His eternal covenant promises had utterly failed. The "heathen" or "nations" (Hebrew: goyim) refer to the Gentile peoples among whom Israel was dispersed, who frequently mocked Israel's God and interpreted their defeat as irrefutable evidence of His weakness or inability. The concept of "land" (Hebrew: Eretz Israel) was not merely a geographical location but was intrinsically tied to Israel's national identity, their covenant relationship with Yahweh, and the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham in Genesis 12:7 and repeatedly affirmed throughout their history. The promised return to this specific land was thus far more than a geographical relocation; it represented a profound theological restoration of their unique identity, purpose, and covenant standing as God's chosen people.

Key Themes

This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching and interconnected themes within the book of Ezekiel and the broader prophetic tradition. Firstly, it emphatically underscores Divine Sovereignty and Initiative, highlighted by the repeated "I will" statements, which unequivocally assert that this monumental restoration is entirely God's work, utterly independent of Israel's merit or worthiness. Secondly, it illuminates the theme of Covenant Faithfulness, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to His ancient promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even in the face of Israel's persistent and egregious unfaithfulness. While the scattering was a direct consequence of covenant violation, the promised gathering signifies God's enduring faithfulness to His redemptive plan for His people and for His own glory. Thirdly, the verse introduces the theme of Restoration and Renewal, encompassing both physical re-establishment and spiritual revitalization, which is comprehensively developed in the subsequent verses. The physical return "from among the heathen" also speaks to the theme of Separation and Holiness, implying a future where Israel would be distinctly set apart from the idolatrous nations, thereby preparing them for a renewed, sanctified relationship with God, as further elaborated in Ezekiel 36:25.

Exposition and Analysis

Key Word Analysis

take lâqach' H3947

This primitive root signifies "to take (in the widest variety of applications)." In the context of Ezekiel 36:24, it denotes God's active, decisive, and sovereign act of removing His people from their place of exile. It is not a passive withdrawal but a forceful, intentional extraction, emphasizing God's omnipotent power to reverse their dispersion and initiate their return. This verb highlights divine agency and purpose.

heathen gôwy' H1471

This term refers to "a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile." Its usage here emphasizes the stark distinction between Israel, God's covenant people, and the surrounding idolatrous nations among whom they had been scattered. Being taken "from among the heathen" implies a necessary separation from their defiling influences, signaling a restoration of Israel's unique identity and calling as a holy nation set apart for Yahweh.

land ʼădâmâh' H127

Derived from the word for "soil" (from its general redness), this term broadly refers to "country, earth, ground, land." In this verse, the possessive "your own land" specifically denotes the ancestral territory promised to Israel through the Abrahamic covenant. The return to this particular land is central to the fulfillment of God's covenant promises and signifies the re-establishment of Israel's national presence, security, and spiritual heritage.

Verse Breakdown

"For I will take you from among the heathen"

This opening clause initiates the divine promise, unequivocally emphasizing God's singular, sovereign initiative through the emphatic "I will." The act of "taking" implies a forceful, deliberate, and purposeful removal of Israel from the foreign nations where they had been dispersed. This separation from "the heathen" (Gentile nations) underscores the distinctiveness of Israel as God's chosen people and their need to be set apart from idolatrous and defiling influences.

"and gather you out of all countries"

This second clause expands upon the first, highlighting the comprehensive and universal nature of God's regathering. The phrase "all countries" signifies that no Israelite, regardless of how widely or remotely they were scattered, would be overlooked or left behind. The "gathering" depicts a miraculous restoration of unity and community after a prolonged period of fragmentation and dispersion, bringing them together as one unified people once more.

"and will bring you into your own land"

This final clause articulates the ultimate destination and purpose of the divine regathering. The return to "your own land" (the land of Israel) signifies the fulfillment of ancient covenant promises and the re-establishment of their national presence, security, and spiritual heritage within their divinely appointed territory. This physical return is presented as the necessary first step towards the profound spiritual renewal and transformation promised in the subsequent verses of Ezekiel 36.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 36:24 is rich with literary devices that amplify its powerful message of divine restoration. The most prominent is the pervasive use of Anaphora and Repetition of the divine first-person singular pronoun "I" and the auxiliary verb "will" ("I will take," "I will gather," "I will bring"). This emphatic repetition underscores God's absolute Divine Initiative and sovereign control over the entire restoration process. It asserts that this monumental work is not a human endeavor but an act solely orchestrated by Yahweh, highlighting His omnipotence and faithfulness. There is also clear Parallelism in the three clauses, where each phrase describes a distinct yet complementary aspect of God's restorative action: taking from, gathering from, and bringing to. This tripartite structure reinforces the comprehensive, deliberate, and certain nature of the divine plan. Furthermore, the verse employs potent Symbolism, where the physical "land" represents not merely a geographical location but the restoration of Israel's covenant relationship with God, their national identity, and their future hope. Being taken "from among the heathen" also symbolizes a spiritual cleansing and separation from defiling influences, preparing the way for a renewed state of holiness and covenant fidelity.

Theological and Thematic Connections

Ezekiel 36:24 is a profound declaration of God's unwavering faithfulness and sovereign power to restore His people, even in their deepest state of despair and dispersion. It powerfully demonstrates that even when humanity fails spectacularly and profanes God's name, His redemptive purposes will ultimately prevail, driven not by human merit but by His unyielding commitment to His own holy name and His covenant promises. This physical gathering is presented as the foundational act that enables the deeper spiritual transformation promised in the verses that follow, where God promises to bestow a new heart and spirit. Theologically, it highlights God's active, initiating role in salvation and restoration, illustrating that He is the one who graciously draws His people back to Himself and to their intended purpose. This divine initiative is a consistent and glorious theme throughout biblical history, foreshadowing the ultimate divine intervention in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Deuteronomy 30:3-5Isaiah 11:11-12Jeremiah 32:37-38

Reflection and Application

Ezekiel 36:24 offers immense hope, profound comfort, and a powerful challenge to believers today, reminding us that God is perpetually active and intimately involved in our lives, even when we feel scattered, lost, or overwhelmed by our circumstances. Just as He promised to miraculously gather Israel from their exile across the nations, He promises to gather us from the "countries" of our sin, despair, spiritual wandering, or personal brokenness. This verse powerfully illustrates that true restoration, whether for a nation, a community, or an individual, begins not with human effort, but with God's sovereign, gracious initiative. We are not saved, redeemed, or restored by our own striving, but by His boundless grace and omnipotent power. It calls us to cultivate a deep trust in His unwavering faithfulness, knowing that He is supremely capable of bringing order out of chaos, unity out of fragmentation, and abundant life out of spiritual death. Furthermore, it subtly yet profoundly challenges us to prayerfully consider what "heathen" influences—worldly values, destructive habits, or ungodly mindsets—we might need to be "taken from" in our own lives, aligning ourselves more fully with God's holy purposes and character. Our spiritual journey, much like Israel's physical return, is ultimately a journey of being continually brought into God's presence and His intended "land" of spiritual flourishing, holiness, and abundant life.

Questions for Reflection

  1. In what specific areas of my life do I need to trust God's "gathering" power to bring me out of a place of spiritual exile, fragmentation, or despair?
  2. How does the emphatic repetition of God's "I will" statements in this verse deepen my faith in His absolute ability to act in seemingly impossible or overwhelming situations?
  3. What "heathen" influences (e.g., worldly anxieties, covetousness, ungodly entertainment, destructive habits) might I need to be consciously separated from to more fully experience God's transformative and restorative work in my life?

FAQ

Is this prophecy primarily about a literal, physical return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel?

Yes, the immediate and primary fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:24 is indeed the literal, physical return of the Jewish people from the Babylonian exile to the land of Israel. Historical accounts, particularly those detailed in the post-exilic books of Ezra and Nehemiah, confirm this initial and significant fulfillment. However, many biblical scholars also recognize a broader, eschatological dimension to this prophecy, pointing to the modern regathering of the Jewish people to the land of Israel in the 20th and 21st centuries as a further, ongoing, and profound fulfillment. Beyond the physical, the return also serves as a powerful symbol and necessary prerequisite for the deeper spiritual renewal promised in the subsequent verses (e.g., Ezekiel 36:26-27), indicating a profound spiritual application for all believers, both Jew and Gentile.

How does the concept of being "taken from among the heathen" apply to Christians today?

For Christians, being "taken from among the heathen" can be understood in a profound spiritual and theological sense. It signifies God's gracious act of calling believers out of the "world"—its fallen systems, pervasive values, and spiritual darkness—and setting them apart for Himself as His holy people. This aligns perfectly with numerous New Testament calls for believers to be distinct and holy, not conforming to the patterns of this world but rather being transformed by the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2). It speaks directly to the ongoing process of sanctification, whereby God progressively separates us from the dominion of sin and worldly influences, enabling us to live lives that increasingly reflect His character, purposes, and holiness. This spiritual separation is not about physical isolation but about a transformed allegiance and worldview.

Christ-Centered Fulfillment

Ezekiel 36:24 finds its ultimate, most comprehensive, and profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. While initially a literal promise of physical restoration for the nation of Israel, it powerfully foreshadows the far greater spiritual gathering and new creation initiated by Christ. Just as God promised to "take" and "gather" His dispersed people from among the nations, Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, unequivocally declares His divine mission to gather His sheep, encompassing both Jew and Gentile, into one unified flock under His loving care (John 10:16). The promise of "bringing you into your own land" finds its spiritual parallel in Christ bringing believers into His spiritual kingdom, the Church, which is profoundly understood as the new Israel of God, composed of all who are in Christ (Galatians 6:16). Moreover, the promise of being separated "from among the heathen" and receiving a new heart and spirit (as implied by the subsequent verses in Ezekiel 36) is fully and gloriously realized through Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Through saving faith in Him, we are cleansed from the defilement of sin, graciously given a new nature, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, thereby enabling us to truly walk in God's statutes and faithfully keep His judgments (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Thus, Christ is the divine agent who truly gathers, cleanses, and brings His people into the promised spiritual inheritance of eternal life and communion with God, fulfilling the deepest longings and theological implications of this ancient prophecy.

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Public-domain commentary

Matthew Henry

From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Ezekiel 36:16–24. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.

1662–1714 · 9 verses
Passage under commentEzekiel 36:16–24
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points(1.) (2.) Details

When God promised the poor captives a glorious return, in due time, to their own land, it was a great discouragement to their hopes that they were unworthy, utterly unworthy, of such a favour; therefore, to remove that discouragement, God here shows them that he would do it for them purely for his own name's sake, that he might be glorified in them and by them, that he might manifest and magnify his mercy and goodness, that attribute which of all others is most his glory. And, the restoration of that people being typical of our redemption by Christ, this is intended further to show that the ultimate end aimed at in our salvation, to which all the steps of it were made subservient, was the glory of God. To this end Christ directed all he did in that short prayer, Father, glorify thy name; and God declared it was his end in all he did in the immediate answer given to that prayer, by a voice from heaven: I have glorified it, and I will glorify it yet again, Joh 12:28. Now observe here,

I.How God's name had suffered both by the sins and by the miseries of Israel; and this was more to be regretted than all their sorrow, which they had brought upon themselves; for the honour of God lies nearer the hearts of good men than any interests of their own.

1.God's glory had been injured by the sin of Israel when they were in their own land, Eze 36:17. It was a good land, a holy land, a land that had the eye of God upon it. But they defiled it by their own way, their wicked way; that is our own way, the way of our own choice; and we ourselves must bear the blame and shame of it. The sin of a people defiles their land, renders it abominable to God and uncomfortable to themselves; so that they cannot have any holy communion with him nor with one another. What was unclean might not be made use of. By the abuse of the gifts of God's bounty to us we forfeit the use of them; and, the mind and conscience being defiled with guilt, no comfort is allowed us, nothing is pure to us. Their way in the eye of God was like the pollution of a woman during the days of her separation, which shut her out from the sanctuary and made very things she touched ceremonially unclean, Lev 15:19. Sin is that abominable thing which the Lord hates, and which he cannot endure to look upon. They shed blood and worshipped idols (Eze 36:18) and with those sins defiled the land. For this God poured out his fury upon them, scattered them among the heathen. Their own land was sick of them, and they were sent into other lands. Herein God was righteous, and was justified in what he did; none could say that he did them any wrong, nay, he did justice to his own honour, for he judged them according to their way and according to their doings, Eze 36:19. And yet, the matter being not rightly understood, he was not glorified in it; for the enemies did say, as Moses pleaded the Egyptians would say if he had destroyed them in the wilderness, that for mischief he brought them forth. Their neighbours considered them rather as a holy people than as a sinful people, and therefore took occasion from the calamities they were in, instead of glorifying God, as they might justly have done, to reproach him and put contempt upon him; and God's name was continually every day blasphemed by their oppressors, Isa 52:5.

2.When they entered into the land of the heathen God had no glory by them there; but, on the contrary, his holy name was profaned, Eze 36:20.

(1.)It was profaned by the sins of Israel; they were no credit to their profession wherever they went, but, on the contrary, a reproach to it. The name of God and his holy religion was blasphemed through them, Rom 2:24. When those that pretended to be in relation to God, in covenant and communion with him, were found corrupt in their morals, slaves to their appetites and passions, dishonest in their dealings, and false to their words and the trust reposed in them, the enemies of the Lord had thereby great occasion given them to blaspheme, especially when they quarrelled with their God for correcting them, than which nothing could be more scandalous.

(2.)It was profaned by the sufferings of Israel; for from them the enemies of God took occasion to reproach God, as unable to protect his own worshippers and to make good his own grants. They said, in scorn, "These are the people of the land, these wicked people (you see he could not keep them in their obedience to his precepts), these miserable people - you see he could not keep them in the enjoyment of his favours. These are the people that came out of Jehovah's land, they are the very scum of the nations. Are these those that had statues so righteous whose lives are so unrighteous? Is this the nation that is so much celebrated for a wise and understanding people, and that is said to have God so nigh unto them? Do these belong to that brave, that holy nation, who appear here so vile, so abject?" Thus God sold his people and did not increase his wealth by their price, Psa 44:12. The reproach they were under reflected upon him.

II.Let us now see how God would retrieve his honour, secure it, and advance it, by working a great reformation upon them and then working a great salvation for them. He would have scattered them among the heathen, were it not that he feared the wrath of the enemy, Deu 32:26, Deu 32:27. But, though they were unworthy of his compassion, yet he had pity for his own holy name, and a thousand pities it was that that should be trampled upon and abused. He looked with compassion on his own honour, which lay bleeding among the heathen, on that jewel which was trodden into the dirt, which the house of Israel, even in the land of their captivity, had profaned, Eze 36:21. In pity to that God brought them out from the heathen, because their sins were more scandalous there than they had been in their own land. "Therefore I will gather you out of all countries and bring you into your own land, Eze 36:24. Not for your sake, because you are worthy of such a favour, for you are most unworthy, but for my holy name's sake (Eze 36:22), that I may sanctify my great name," Eze 36:23. Observe, by the way, God's holy name is his great name. His holiness is his greatness; so he reckons it himself. Nor does any thing make a man truly great but being truly good, and partaking of God's holiness. God will magnify his name as a holy name, for he will sanctify it: I will sanctify my name which you have profaned. When God performs that which he has sworn by his holiness, then he sanctifies his name. The effect of this shall be very happy: The heathen shall know that I am the Lord when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes and yours. When God proves his own holy name, and his saints praise it, then he is sanctified in them, and this contributes to the propagating of the knowledge of him. Observe,

1.God's reasons of mercy are all fetched from within himself; he will bring his people out of Babylon, not for their sakes, but for his own name's sake, because he will be glorified.

2.God's goodness takes occasion from man's badness to appear so much the more illustrious; therefore he will sanctify his name by the pardon of sin, because it has been profaned by the commission of sin.

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Historical interpretation

Historical Reception

2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.

2 quotes · AD 420
AD 420JeromePost-NiceneSourceCommentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 35, 36, and following) And I will bring you into a desert of peoples, and there I will judge you face to face. Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord. And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant, and I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked: from their place of residence I will bring them out, and they will not enter the land of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord: I will do for you who are in Babylon, and now serve idols, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face, just as I contended with them in judgment when they came out of Egypt. And after I have judged you, I will subject you to my scepter and rule, and I will make a covenant with you and bring you into your land with the bonds of love, so that bound by my love, you will never be able to depart from me. But I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked, who persist in the hardness of their hearts in evil deeds, not for possession, but for rejection. And I will indeed bring them out of the land of their dwelling, so that when they are brought out, they will not enter the land of Israel; but they will perish in various regions. And by the distinction between good and evil, you shall know that I am the Lord, who judges all things. The rest of the discourse hastens, and we briefly go through each point, in order to provide only the meaning to the readers.
AD 420JeromePost-NiceneSourceCommentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 16 and following) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, the house of Israel have dwelt (or dwells) in their own land, and they have defiled it with their ways and their idols: according to the uncleanness of a woman in her menstrual impurity, their way has become before me. And I poured out my indignation (or fury) upon them, for the blood they have shed upon the land: they have defiled it with their idols, and I scattered them among the nations, and dispersed them in the lands (or regions) according to their ways, and judged them for their inventions (or sins), and they entered into the nations to which they came, and defiled my holy name, when it was said of them, This is the people of the Lord, and they have come out of his land. And I spared my holy name (that is, I spared them for the sake of my holy name) which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they came. Therefore, say to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to whom you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. Indeed, I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit in your midst (or give it to you), and I will make you walk in my precepts (or my justifications), and keep my judgments, and do (or make) them ((Vulg. is silent on them)). And you shall dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers, and you shall be to me a people, and I will be to you a God. And I will save you ((Al. I will save you)) from all your defilements (or impurities), and I will call forth grain, and multiply it, and I will not give (or give) you famine, and I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the produce of the field, so that you will no longer bear the reproach of famine among the nations. And you shall remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and your iniquities, and your abominations. And I will not do for your sake, saith the Lord God, let it be known unto you. Be ye confounded, and ashamed at your own ways, O house of Israel. Thus saith the Lord God: In the day that I shall cleanse you from all your iniquities, and shall cause the cities to be inhabited, and shall repair the ruinous places, And the desolate land shall be tilled, which before was waste in the sight of all that passed by, They shall say: This land that was untilled (or desolate) is become as a garden of pleasure; and the cities that were uninhabitable, and deserted, and ruined, are now fenced, and inhabited. And the nations shall know that those who were left all around you, who were scattered, I the Lord have rebuilt. I have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken and I will do it. Thus says the Lord God: In this I will be found by the house of Israel, and I will act for them. I will multiply them like a flock of people, like a holy flock, like the flock of Jerusalem in its appointed feasts. The cities shall be inhabited again, and the waste places rebuilt with flocks of people. Then they shall know that I am the Lord. The things that are said are clear, and the whole sense of the mountains of Israel, which were previously desert, and afterwards restored, is now more clearly revealed. And God explains why He handed over the people of Israel to captivity, and promises, due to His mercy, to bring them back to the land of Judah and to give them much greater things than He had taken away. Some Jews refer this to the times of Zerubbabel, when, with Cyrus, the king of the Persians releasing their captivity, many were brought back from the tribe of Judah and Benjamin to Judah. But others refer it to a kingdom of a thousand years, when under Christ, whom they suppose to be coming, the city of Jerusalem is to be built, and the temple to be constructed, concerning which temple we shall speak in the interpretation of the last part of the book. Meanwhile, let us pass briefly through the remaining portion of this chapter, and consider what seems to be said to us according to the understanding of the Church. The house of Israel, that is, the people of the Jews, once dwelt in their land, that is, in the land of Judah, when they were brought out of Egypt. But they defiled it with their ways and pursuits, or their idols, and they became so polluted that they were compared to the filth of a menstruating woman. Because of this, God poured out his indignation upon them, for the blood of the prophets and the righteous, which they had shed on the earth, as the Savior says in the Gospel: Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you (Matthew 23:37). And again (Verse 35): Amen, amen I say to you: the blood of Abel, the just, shall be required of this generation from the blood of Zacharias, the son of Barachias, whom you killed between the altar and the temple. Amen, I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation. Therefore, behold I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes, and some of them you will put to death and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, that upon you may come all the just blood that hath been shed upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the just, even unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias, whom you killed between the altar and the temple. Amen I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldst not? Behold, your house shall be left to you, desolate! For I say to you, you shall not see me henceforth till you say: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord! When I saw this, he said, not for their sake, but for the sake of my holy name (for I am the Creator of all), I spared them and sanctified them, and I restored them to their former glory, so that I might pour out clean water of saving Baptism upon those who believe and have turned away from error, and cleanse them from their abominations and from all the errors in which they were occupied, and give them a new heart to believe in the Son of God and a new spirit, of which David speaks: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me (Ps. 50:21). And it is to be considered that a new heart and a new spirit are given through the effusion and sprinkling of water. When, however, a new heart and a new spirit are given, then all hardness, which is compared to stone, will be removed from the Jewish heart, so that the heart may be a fleshy, soft, and tender one, which can receive the spirit of God within itself and be inscribed with saving words. Then they will walk in the precepts of the Lord and keep His judgments, and they will dwell in the land of confession, which He had given to their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to all the holy ones and prophets, and they will become the people of God, and the Lord will be their God, as is proven in the present time. And when they are saved, the Lord will call the grain and multiply it. For unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone (John 12:24). And they will not endure hunger (Amos 8:11): not hunger for bread and thirst for water, but hunger for hearing the word of God, which he who came from the Father, having received all substance, scattered: when in the necessity of hunger, he fed on the pods of swine (Luke 15). Then the fruit of the tree, that is, wisdom, will be multiplied, of which it is written: The tree of life is to all who seek it (Prov. III, 18): and the produce of the field will be like Jacob, whose scent was like the scent of a full field, to whom the Lord blessed (Genes. XXVII, 27). They will no longer bear the reproach of famine among the nations, which the unbelief of the Jews suffers to this day: but after they have attained blessedness, they will imitate the Apostle who says: I am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God (I Cor. XV, 9). And they will remember their worst ways and their non-good pursuits, by which they offended God. And their iniquities and their crimes, by which they previously erred, will displease them. But the Lord will attribute all these things, not for the sake of those who perished by their own error, but for the sake of his holy name. Therefore, he provokes the house of Israel to be confused and ashamed about their past vices, and to understand their Creator. But after he will have cleansed the people of the believers from their iniquities, and he will have made the cities of the Church to be inhabited, and he will have restored the ruined things that had fallen in the synagogues, and the land of confession will have been cultivated with the ceremonies of God, which once seemed desolate to all the saints who pass by the works of earthly conversation: then all will say: How does the land of Judah, which once was uncultivated, now have the likeness of the paradise of God; and the cities of Judah, which were deserted and abandoned, and buried by their unbelief, now stand upright and fortified in confession, and in the name of the Lord and Savior? So that every creature may know, and the multitudes of Angels, which surround the land of Israel, that the Lord has built up the desolate cities and planted the barren regions, and that He has fulfilled what He had promised through the prophets. And this will not be the extent of His generosity towards the people He has saved, but He will provide even greater things. For indeed, He will be found by the house of Israel, who had been sought for a long time and was not found. And after he finds him, he will multiply them like sheep: not of brute animals, but of sheep of men, which are full of reason and confession, like holy sheep and flocks of Jerusalem, in which the worship of God proper and the vision of peace is, in its solemnities when we eat the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Cor. 5), and we feed on the flesh of the Lamb and drink its blood, and in the seven weeks, and in the tabernacles of this present age we celebrate the Lord's Day festivals, so that the once desolate cities may become full of flocks of men, and by this means they may know that he himself is the Lord, who has provided all things. According to the truth of history, or rather according to the faith of prophecy, it suffices to say briefly how the people of Israel are restored to their original state, and how the remnant of the people of Judah, as the Apostle Paul teaches (Rom. IX, 11), are saved in the Apostle and in all those who initially believed from the Jews and continue to return to the Church even today. Now, the same sense must be opened in this brief tropology. Whoever is from the house of Israel and perceives the peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding, dwells in his own land, that is, the Church, or in the temporary dwelling of the flesh, which has been given to him by God. But if he pollutes both lands with his wicked ways, and is compared to the impurity of a menstruating woman: God will pour out his indignation upon him, for the blood, either his own or those whom he has scandalized, and will pour it out upon the land, and with perverse thoughts he pollutes it. Then he will be scattered among the nations, to be leveled with the unbelievers, and will be tossed about on the earth like chaff, to be separated from the grain of the Church, and judged according to his ways. But if they have not perceived their sin in this way, but have defiled His holy name, then all those among whom they have lived will say: Behold the people of God, behold those who have come forth from their land, or rather have been cast out. But if they repent and I am sanctified in their midst, then all the multitude of the nations will know that I will remove them from the lands where they were dispersed and bring them back to the land of the Church, and I will pour out upon them not the waters of saving Baptism, but the waters of teaching and the word of God; and I will cleanse them from all their uncleannesses, and from all the idols and errors which they had secretly conceived in their hearts. And I will give them a new heart, which they had lost through sin, and I will renew a right spirit within their hearts. And I will remove the stony heart, that is, the unbelieving heart; and I will give them a fleshy heart, soft and tender; that they may receive the commandments of God; so that they may walk in my commandments, and observe my judgments; which they had previously neglected, and they shall dwell in the land which I had given to their fathers, namely, the masters and teachers; and once again, they shall be the people of God, and the Lord shall be turned to them as God, whom they had previously offended. Then they will be saved from all their sins, and their grain will multiply, from which heavenly bread is made; and they will no longer suffer from hunger for the word of God; and the tree of wisdom will multiply in them, and their hearts will be filled with offspring. They will no longer be a reproach among the nations; but after God has shown them mercy, they will remember their wicked ways and know where they have been, and they will be disgusted by their iniquities. What the Lord says is not for them, but for his own mercy. Therefore, he encourages those who are straying to be confounded and ashamed in their ways, and to be restored to the cities of the Church, which will be inhabited by them again and all that have fallen in them will be rebuilt. And they will return to the ancient ceremonies, and the once deserted land, which appeared desolate to its inhabitants and to passing strangers, will return to its former state; and all will marvel and say: This uncultivated land, this deserted land, in which all virtues once perished, has now become like a garden of pleasure and a paradise of God; and the once deserted cities, which did not have God as their guest, and were deprived of the Holy Spirit, and were buried in unbelief, will be fortified by the faith of Christ, so that all around may know that the Lord has built up scattered souls, and has planted and nurtured in them the trees of all virtues; and he himself has fulfilled the things he promised in his words. And again the prophetic word exhorts the repentant, that even when they have returned to the Church, they should always seek the Lord, and find Him: so that the flocks of the Lord may multiply with the multitude of those who return: not of horses and brute animals, but of flocks of men, who are full of faith and reason, the holy flocks, the flocks of the city of Jerusalem, on all the solemnities, which they have received through the mercy of God; so that when the multitude of such flocks has filled the cities of the Lord, then all may know that He is the Lord.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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