Ezekiel 36:8-12 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

But ye, O mountains of Israel, shall yield your fruit, &c. Here the land of Judea is ordered to provide for the sustenance of the people of Israel, who were about to return out of captivity to dwell there again: for, says the prophet, they are at hand to come That is, the deliverance of my people shall be effected in a short time. This prophecy seems to have an immediate reference to the return of the Jews from Babylon; but there can be no doubt, as Calmet justly observes, that it has also a further reference, even to the general return of the Israelites, and to the kingdom of the Messiah; the longest distance of time that the things of this world can extend to being but a moment in respect of eternity. For I am for you, and will return unto you, &c. I will send down again my blessing upon you, and favourable seasons; and cause you to be inhabited, so that you shall again be cultivated and fruitful. This is also addressed, as it were, to the land of Judea. And the cities shall be inhabited The cities and towns that lie in ruins shall be built again. And I will multiply upon you man and beast As God, in his judgments, threatened to cut off man and beast from the land, (Ezekiel 14:17,) so here he promises to replenish it with both. And will do better unto you than at your beginning In bestowing upon you the blessings of the gospel, the promises of which were first made to the Jews and to their children, Acts 2:39. The words may likewise imply, that God would give them a more lasting and secure possession of their land than ever they had before: see the following verses. Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you O mountains, or land of Israel, Ezekiel 36:8. And thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men That is, thou shall no more be remarkable for thy inhabitants dying in uncommon numbers, by pestilence, the sword, and famine.