Here, God speaks not just to people, but directly to the land itself—mountains, valleys, and even deserted cities—to declare that the devastation they've endured, which became a spectacle of mockery for surrounding nations, will be met with divine judgment and restoration. It’s a powerful picture of how God cares for all of creation, and how even the land bears witness to His people's trials and His ultimate vindication.
therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and the hills, the ravines and the valleys, the desolate wastes and the deserted cities, which have become a prey and derision to the rest of the nations all around,
English Standard Version (ESV)
In Ezekiel's prophecy, God's judgment on Mount Seir for its cruelty towards Israel is complete, leading to a declaration of God's overwhelming power and future restoration for His people. This passage transitions to addressing the very land of Israel – its mountains, valleys, and ruined cities – highlighting how they have become objects of scorn and plunder by surrounding nations. God declares that these devastated landscapes will soon hear His word and witness His mighty acts of renewal and vindication.
Why would God speak to mountains, valleys, and desolate cities? What does this unusual address reveal about the land of Israel and its people?
Inanimate Witnesses
In Ezekiel 36:4, God doesn't just speak to the people of Israel; He addresses the very land they inhabit. The mountains, hills, ravines, and valleys are commanded to 'hear the word of the Lord GOD.' This isn't a poetic flourish; it's a profound statement about God's deep connection to His chosen land and people.
A Land That Suffered
The text paints a picture of a land scarred by exile and desecrated by surrounding nations. These places, once vibrant, became 'desolate wastes' and 'forsaken cities,' serving as a 'prey' and 'derision' to the enemies of Israel. God's direct address to the land acknowledges its suffering and impending restoration. It's as if the land itself is a witness to the injustice and will be a witness to God's faithfulness in bringing it back to life.
Imagine your deepest struggles becoming a joke for others. Ezekiel's land faced this humiliation. How does God respond to such derision?
The Shame of the Nations
The surrounding nations didn't just conquer Israel; they mocked them in their fallen state. The land's desolation became proof, in their eyes, of their gods' power over Israel's God. These 'residue of the nations' profited from Israel's pain, taking what was left and laughing at their misfortune.
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God's Promise of Vindication
However, God's word to the land is a direct rebuttal to this mockery. He declares that what the nations took as spoil and used as a source of derision will be restored. God's future actions will vindicate His name and His people, proving that He is sovereign and that those who humiliate His chosen will ultimately face His judgment. The land's renewal is a testament to God's power and His commitment to clearing His people's name.
Ezekiel's powerful imagery of addressing the mountains and valleys highlights the complete devastation of the land of Israel during the Babylonian exile. It underscores that even the physical landscape bore the scars of conquest, becoming a target of mockery by surrounding nations who profited from its ruin.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its inhabitants and resettling the land with foreigners. This marks a period of significant devastation and loss for a large part of the land of Israel.
597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacks Jerusalem, exiling King Jehoiachin and many Judean elites and artisans. The land of Judah is left devastated and vulnerable.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population to Babylon. The land of Israel is left largely desolate, its cities in ruins and its people scattered and mocked by surrounding nations.
c. 570 BC
Ezekiel Prophesies During Exile
Ezekiel, living among the exiles in Babylon, receives visions and prophecies from God. This verse is part of a larger prophecy of restoration, speaking to the land itself about future renewal.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire, led by Cyrus, overthrows Babylon. This event paves the way for the return of exiled peoples, including the Judeans, to their homelands.
538 BC onwards
Return from Exile
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the land's slow restoration, though challenges and mockery from surrounding peoples continue.
This psalm echoes the sentiment of Ezekiel 36:4, lamenting how the surrounding nations have mocked and profited from Jerusalem's destruction, highlighting the deep pain and shame of being ridiculed by enemies.
Jeremiah 50:7Similar to Ezekiel's message, Jeremiah speaks of how the people of Israel and Judah have been oppressed, and their captors have used them as prey, underscoring the theme of nations being held accountable for how they treated God's people.
Romans 8:19-22This passage describes creation itself groaning and longing for redemption, paralleling the prophetic address to the mountains and valleys. It suggests that God's redemptive work extends even to the natural world, which has witnessed and suffered alongside His people.
Isaiah 61:4-7This prophecy speaks of rebuilding desolate places and restoring former glory, directly addressing the 'desolate wastes' and 'forsaken cities' mentioned in Ezekiel. It paints a picture of restoration and vindication after a period of devastation and reproach.
pulpitEzekiel 36:4: "Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about;"
Verse 4. - The rivers (or, channels, bottoms, dales) were the water-courses, wadies, or ravines through which mountain streams flowed, as in Ezekiel 35:8; and the residue of th…
jfbEzekiel 36:4: "Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about;"
- Inanimate creatures are addressed, to imply that the creature also, as it were, groans for deliverance from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the childr…
Here, God speaks not just to people, but directly to the land itself—mountains, valleys, and even deserted cities—to declare that the devastation they've endured, which became a spectacle of mockery for surrounding nations, will be met with divine judgment and restoration. It’s a powerful picture of how God cares for all of creation, and how even the land bears witness to His people's trials and His ultimate vindication.
In Ezekiel's prophecy, God's judgment on Mount Seir for its cruelty towards Israel is complete, leading to a declaration of God's overwhelming power and future restoration for His people. This passage transitions to addressing the very land of Israel – its mountains, valleys, and ruined cities – highlighting how they have become objects of scorn and plunder by surrounding nations. God declares that these devastated landscapes will soon hear His word and witness His mighty acts of renewal and vindication.
In Ezekiel's prophecy, God's judgment on Mount Seir for its cruelty towards Israel is complete, leading to a declaration of God's overwhelming power and future restoration for His people. This passage transitions to addressing the very land of Israel – its mountains, valleys, and ruined cities – highlighting how they have become objects of scorn and plunder by surrounding nations. God declares that these devastated landscapes will soon hear His word and witness His mighty acts of renewal and vindication.
"therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and the hills, the ravines and the valleys, the desolate wastes and the deserted cities, which have become a prey and derision to the…" — Here, God speaks not just to people, but directly to the land itself—mountains, valleys, and even deserted cities—to declare that the devastation they've endured, which became a spectacle of mockery…
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Last reviewed October 2026
