Ezekiel 36:38 (GNV)

Passage

As the holy flocke, as the flocke of Ierusalem in their solemne feastes, so shall the desolate cities be filled with flockes of men, and they shall know, that I am the Lord.

Nearby Context

Ezekiel 36:36 Then the residue of the heathen that are left round about you, shall know that I the Lord builde the ruinous places, and plant the desolate places: I the Lord haue spoken it, and wil do it.

Ezekiel 36:37 Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be sought of ye house of Israel, to performe it vnto them: I wil encrease them with men like a flocke.

Ezekiel 36:38 As the holy flocke, as the flocke of Ierusalem in their solemne feastes, so shall the desolate cities be filled with flockes of men, and they shall know, that I am the Lord.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "holy", "flocke", "ierusalem", "solemne", "feastes", "shall", and "desolate". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "holy" and "flocke", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "Thus saith the Lord God I will...", giving immediate footing for "holy" and "flocke". In Ezekiel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "holy" and "flocke" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.