Ezekiel 36:34

And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.

And the desolate {H8074} land {H776} shall be tilled {H5647}, whereas it lay desolate {H8077} in the sight {H5869} of all that passed by {H5674}.

The land that was desolate will be tilled, whereas formerly it lay desolate for all passing by to see.

The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through.

And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, whereas it was a desolation in the sight of all that passed by.

Commentary

Context

Ezekiel 36 is a pivotal chapter in the prophetic book, delivering a message of hope and restoration to the exiled people of Israel. Following chapters that detail God's judgment against Israel and surrounding nations, this chapter shifts focus to God's promise to restore His people to their land, cleanse them, and renew their spirit. Verse 34 specifically addresses the physical transformation of the land of Israel itself, which had lain waste and neglected during the Babylonian exile. It serves as a powerful contrast between the land's former desolate state and its future productivity, underscoring God's faithfulness and power to reverse ruin.

Key Themes

  • Divine Restoration: This verse highlights God's active and sovereign intervention in reversing the consequences of Israel's sin and exile. It's not merely a natural recovery but a supernatural work orchestrated by God. The land, like the people, will be renewed and brought back to life.
  • Reversal of Desolation: The imagery of the "desolate land" being "tilled" is a profound metaphor for hope, renewal, and fruitfulness. What was barren, unproductive, and a symbol of judgment will become fruitful and vibrant again, symbolizing a return to blessing and divine favor.
  • Witness to the Nations: The phrase "in the sight of all that passed by" emphasizes that Israel's desolation was a public disgrace and a sign of God's judgment. Conversely, its restoration will be a public testimony to God's power and covenant-keeping, causing surrounding nations to acknowledge the Lord and His mighty works, as further elaborated in Ezekiel 36:36.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "desolate" (shamem or its noun form shammah) carries a strong sense of utter ruin, astonishment, and abandonment. It implies a place left waste, often as a result of divine judgment or neglect, emphasizing its uninhabitable and unproductive state. The word for "tilled" ('abad) means to work, serve, or cultivate. It evokes the idea of purposeful labor and productivity, directly contrasting the previous state of neglect and barrenness. This linguistic contrast underscores the profound and complete transformation God promises for the land.

Related Scriptures

The promise of physical restoration in Ezekiel 36:34 is deeply intertwined with the spiritual renewal God promises His people. The broader context of Ezekiel 36 includes the promise of a new heart and a new spirit for the people, indicating that physical restoration is tied to internal transformation.

This prophecy echoes similar themes of agricultural abundance and return from exile found in other prophets, such as Isaiah 35:1-2, where the desert rejoices and blossoms like a rose, symbolizing the glorious transformation of the land. The idea of the land being restored after its "sabbath rest" due to disobedience is also found in Leviticus 26:34-35, where the land enjoys its neglected sabbaths during the period of desolation.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 36:34 offers a profound message of hope and divine intervention for individuals and communities facing periods of "desolation."

  • Personal Renewal: Just as God promised to restore the land of Israel, He can bring life and fruitfulness to areas of our lives that feel barren, broken, or unproductive—whether it's a difficult relationship, a stagnant career, spiritual dryness, or emotional wounds. It reminds us that God is a God of second chances and complete restoration.
  • Hope in Despair: When circumstances seem overwhelming and beyond repair, this verse encourages us to look to God's sovereign power. What appears utterly lost or desolate in the eyes of the world can be miraculously transformed by divine intervention.
  • Witness and Testimony: Our own personal or communal restoration, when visibly wrought by God, can become a powerful testimony to others, much like the restored land of Israel was meant to be a witness to the surrounding nations. It glorifies God when He takes what was desolate and makes it fruitful and productive.
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Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 6:14 (4 votes)

    So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.

  • Jeremiah 25:9 (2 votes)

    Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

  • Jeremiah 25:11 (2 votes)

    And this whole land shall be a desolation, [and] an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

  • 2 Chronicles 36:21 (1 votes)

    To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: [for] as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

  • Deuteronomy 29:23 (1 votes)

    [And that] the whole land thereof [is] brimstone, and salt, [and] burning, [that] it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

  • Deuteronomy 29:28 (1 votes)

    And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as [it is] this day.