Ezekiel 36:10
And I will multiply people on you, the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities shall be inhabited and the waste places rebuilt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This promise isn't just about more people, but about the whole house of Israel, meaning both the northern and southern kingdoms, returning to a land that will surpass its former glory. It speaks to a complete restoration, hinting at a future hope that extends beyond any single historical return.
God is speaking through Ezekiel to pronounce judgment on the surrounding nations who have gloated over Israel's destruction, then shifts to a powerful promise of restoration. This passage follows God's declaration that He will scatter Israel's enemies and bring His people back to their own land, emphasizing a complete and prosperous resettlement. The verses leading up to this speak of God's holiness being displayed through Israel's redemption, so this promise of multiplying people and rebuilding cities is the immediate consequence of God reclaiming His people and His land.
Ezekiel’s prophecy speaks of a restoration, but it’s bigger than just a return from Babylon. Who is this 'whole house' God promises to multiply?
The promise of multiplying "all the house of Israel, even all of it" points beyond the partial return from Babylonian exile. While many returned, the ten northern tribes (often called Ephraim) largely remained dispersed. This prophecy looks forward to a complete ingathering, not just of Judah and Benjamin, but of all Israel. It’s a picture of God’s ultimate intention to gather His people, united and multiplied, a foreshadowing of the New Testament church where Jew and Gentile find their home in God's kingdom.
This wasn't just about population numbers; it was about re-establishing God's covenant people in their land, whole and restored.
God’s promise isn’t just about people returning; it’s about what happens after they return. What does it mean for cities to be inhabited and wastes rebuilt?
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The vision of inhabited cities and rebuilt waste places signifies a profound restoration of blessing and prosperity. After the devastation of war and exile, the land lay in ruins. God’s promise means not only a return of population but a renewal of life and fruitfulness.
This restoration includes:
Ezekiel's prophecy of rebuilding and repopulation addresses the devastating aftermath of Jerusalem's destruction and the exile. It offers a future vision of restoration that extends beyond the initial return, promising a complete repopulation and rebuilding of the land for all of Israel.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and thousands of Jewish leaders and skilled workers from Jerusalem to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile. This event left Jerusalem and its territories significantly weakened.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and the First Temple, bringing an end to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The remaining population is largely exiled to Babylon, leaving the land desolate.
c. 571 BC
Ezekiel's Ministry Ends
Ezekiel's prophetic ministry, which began during the exile, appears to conclude around this time. He delivered messages of judgment and restoration to the exiles in Babylon.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers the Neo-Babylonian Empire, paving the way for the return of Jewish exiles to their homeland.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issues a decree allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their ancestral lands and rebuild their temples. This marks the start of the return from Babylonian exile.
516 BC
Completion of the Second Temple
The Second Temple in Jerusalem is completed, symbolizing a significant step in the restoration of Jewish life and worship in the land, though it doesn't reach the glory of the first Temple.
This passage speaks of rebuilding 'ancient ruins' and raising up 'foundations laid long ago,' directly echoing Ezekiel's promise of rebuilding desolate cities and lands.
Jeremiah 33:12Jeremiah also prophesied that the cities of Judah and their surrounding fields would be inhabited again after their desolation, mirroring the restoration described in Ezekiel.
Zechariah 8:4-5Zechariah describes a future Jerusalem where 'old men and old women will sit again in the streets,' with children playing, emphasizing the return of life and population to a restored city, much like Ezekiel's vision.
Acts 1:6While a different context, the disciples' question about restoring the kingdom to Israel hints at a deep longing and expectation for a national restoration and rebuilding that resonates with Ezekiel's prophecy.
pulpitEzekiel 36:10: "And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:"
Verses 10, 11. - I will multiply men upon you. Jehovah's promise contemplated a return of both sections of the Golah, the whole house of Israel, Ephraim as well as Judah (comp. Ezekiel 20:40), to the land from which they had been deported, and a restoration of the united kingdom to a condition of prosperity in which its cities should aga…
jfbEzekiel 36:10: "And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:"
- wastes builded—Isa 58:12; 61:4; Am 9:11, 12, 14, where, as here (Eze 34:23, 24), the names of David, Messiah's type, and Edom, Israel's foe, are introduced in connection with the coming restoration.
This promise isn't just about more people, but about the whole house of Israel, meaning both the northern and southern kingdoms, returning to a land that will surpass its former glory. It speaks to a complete restoration, hinting at a future hope that extends beyond any single historical return.
God is speaking through Ezekiel to pronounce judgment on the surrounding nations who have gloated over Israel's destruction, then shifts to a powerful promise of restoration. This passage follows God's declaration that He will scatter Israel's enemies and bring His people back to their own land, emphasizing a complete and prosperous resettlement. The verses leading up to this speak of God's holiness being displayed through Israel's redemption, so this promise of multiplying people and rebuilding cities is the immediate consequence of God reclaiming His people and His land.
God is speaking through Ezekiel to pronounce judgment on the surrounding nations who have gloated over Israel's destruction, then shifts to a powerful promise of restoration. This passage follows God's declaration that He will scatter Israel's enemies and bring His people back to their own land, emphasizing a complete and prosperous resettlement. The verses leading up to this speak of God's holiness being displayed through Israel's redemption, so this promise of multiplying people and rebuilding cities is the immediate consequence of God reclaiming His people and His land.
"And I will multiply people on you, the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities shall be inhabited and the waste places rebuilt." — This promise isn't just about more people, but about the whole house of Israel, meaning both the northern and southern kingdoms, returning to a land that will surpass its former glory. It speaks…
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