³⁵ They will say, “This land was ·ruined [desolate], but now it has become like the garden of Eden. The cities were destroyed, empty, and ruined, but now they are ·protected [fortified] and ·have people living in them [inhabited].” ³⁶ Then those nations still around you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt ·what was destroyed [the ruins] and have planted what was ·empty [desolate]. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.’

³⁷ “This is what the Lord God says: I will let myself be asked by the ·people [^Lhouse] of Israel to do this for them again: I will ·make their people grow in number [multiply their people] like a flock.