I will let people walk on you, even my people Israel. And they shall possess you, and you shall be their inheritance, and you shall no longer bereave them of children.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's striking here is how the land itself is addressed, as if it were a person who has been causing grief. God promises that this land, once desolate and dangerous, will be so thoroughly restored that His own people will dwell there securely, and it will no longer be a place that leads to loss and sorrow. The land will transform from a mourner's grave to a vibrant home, no longer "bereaving" them by destroying their lives or children.
I will let people walk on you, even my people Israel. And they shall possess you, and you shall be their inheritance, and you shall no longer bereave them of children.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In this passage, God addresses the "mountains of Israel," which represent the land itself, assuring them of a future restoration after a period of desolation and enemy occupation. Following the preceding promise to bring His people back and make the land fruitful, this verse emphasizes that the land will once again be inhabited by God's chosen people, who will reclaim it as their permanent inheritance and be free from the sorrow of losing their children.
Imagine a land left desolate, its people gone, its future uncertain. Ezekiel's prophecy paints a stark picture, but then flips it with a promise of radical restoration. What does it mean for a land to be 'bereaved'?
The prophecy in Ezekiel 36 addresses the land of Israel directly, personifying it. During the exile, the land was neglected, overrun by wild beasts, and its people were scattered or killed. The term 'bereave' here is powerful. While it can refer to losing children, in this context, it means the land itself is being stripped of its inhabitants – its 'children'.
A Land Reclaimed
God declares He will remove the desolation and bring His own people, Israel, back to possess the land. It will no longer be a place of loss and emptiness, but a secure inheritance. This isn't just about physical return; it's about God restoring His relationship with His people and His land, making it fruitful and inhabited once more.
The prophecy speaks of Israel possessing the land. But it also says the land will be their inheritance. How does this mutual belonging speak to God's heart for His people?
This verse beautifully illustrates a reciprocal relationship. God is declaring that the land of Israel, which had been ravaged and taken from His people, would be returned to them. It would become their secure home, a place of belonging and continuity.
A Sacred Trust
'They shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance.' This means the land wasn't just territory; it was a gift from God, tied to His covenant promises. For Israel to 'possess' it was to receive God's blessing and provision. For the land to be their 'inheritance' emphasized its permanence and value. It was theirs not by conquest alone, but by divine appointment.
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This echoes God's own heart for His people. He calls them 'my people Israel,' affirming His special relationship with them, and then He grants them a lasting inheritance.
Understand the original words
nachalah · Hebrew Noun
A legal and relational status denoting ownership or occupation of land given by God, often emphasizing that the land belongs to God and is held by His people as a sacred trust.
shakal · Hebrew Verb
To cause to be childless or to experience the loss of offspring, often used in judgment contexts to signify the removal of a future and the cessation of covenant blessing.
Ezekiel's words, spoken during the Babylonian exile, paint a vivid picture of hope. They directly contrast the desolation of exile with a future where the land, so long 'bereaved' of its people and perhaps even its fertility, will be restored and cherished by Israel as their rightful inheritance.
c. 732 BC
Assyrian Deportations
The Neo-Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-Pileser III begins deporting large populations from the northern Kingdom of Israel, significantly depopulating and disrupting the land.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquers Judah, destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, and exiles a significant portion of the population to Babylon. This marks a period of deep national trauma and displacement.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great's Edict
The Persian Empire, led by Cyrus, conquers Babylon. Cyrus issues an edict allowing Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple.
c. 516 BC
Second Temple Dedicated
The Temple in Jerusalem is rededicated by the returning exiles. While a joyous occasion, the scale of the new Temple and the returned population is much smaller than before.
c. 458 BC - 432 BC
Ezra and Nehemiah's Reforms
Ezra and Nehemiah lead further waves of returnees and implement religious and social reforms to re-establish Jewish life and identity in Judah, facing ongoing challenges from surrounding peoples.
c. 580-570 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Ministry in Exile
The prophet Ezekiel, himself in exile in Babylon, delivers messages of judgment and future restoration to the devastated land and its scattered people, including promises of renewed possession and divine presence.
This passage outlines the blessings of obedience, including dwelling securely in the land and having children, which directly contrasts with the curse of being 'bereaved' mentioned in Ezekiel.
Jeremiah 15:7This verse speaks of God 'bereaving' the people by 'winnowing them with a sieve,' echoing the language of loss and destruction that Ezekiel 36:12 promises will cease.
Isaiah 60:17This prophecy speaks of a future restoration where Israel will be given dominion and possess the nations, aligning with the idea of God's people taking possession of their land and not being bereaved.
Hosea 2:14-15This passage describes God turning the 'Valley of Achor' (trouble) into a 'gateway of hope,' symbolizing a transformation from devastation and loss to possession and security, mirroring Ezekiel's promise.
Psalm 105:8-11This psalm recounts God's faithfulness to His covenant, promising to give the land of Canaan to Israel as an everlasting inheritance, which directly relates to the theme of possession and God's people inheriting the land in Ezekiel.
cambridgeEzekiel 36:12: "Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men."
12 . bereave them of men ] Properly the term means to bereave of children, here it is used generally, to bereave the people, i.e. destroy its members, Jeremiah 15:7 .
gillEzekiel 36:12: "Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men."
Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you,.... And not beasts, as during the captivity; and that without fear of wild beasts, or any enemy; and not as travellers upon them, but as inhabitants of them; who shall walk to and fro upon them, as the owners of them, and doing their proper business there: e…
What's striking here is how the land itself is addressed, as if it were a person who has been causing grief. God promises that this land, once desolate and dangerous, will be so thoroughly restored that His own people will dwell there securely, and it will no longer be a place that leads to loss and sorrow. The land will transform from a mourner's grave to a vibrant home, no longer "bereaving" them by destroying their lives or children.
In this passage, God addresses the "mountains of Israel," which represent the land itself, assuring them of a future restoration after a period of desolation and enemy occupation. Following the preceding promise to bring His people back and make the land fruitful, this verse emphasizes that the land will once again be inhabited by God's chosen people, who will reclaim it as their permanent inheritance and be free from the sorrow of losing their children.
In this passage, God addresses the "mountains of Israel," which represent the land itself, assuring them of a future restoration after a period of desolation and enemy occupation. Following the preceding promise to bring His people back and make the land fruitful, this verse emphasizes that the land will once again be inhabited by God's chosen people, who will reclaim it as their permanent inheritance and be free from the sorrow of losing their children.
"I will let people walk on you, even my people Israel. And they shall possess you, and you shall be their inheritance, and you shall no longer bereave them of children." — What's striking here is how the land itself is addressed, as if it were a person who has been causing grief. God promises that this land, once desolate and dangerous, will be so thoroughly restored t…
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Last reviewed October 2026