Ezekiel 39:25-26

Therefore now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob See note on Ezekiel 34:13; Ezekiel 36:24. And have mercy upon the whole house of Israel On the ten tribes with the two. This bringing back the captive Jews and Israelites, and gathering them from their dispersions, will be an act of mere mercy. By sin, indeed, they deserved to be made captives; but no righteousness of theirs did or could deserve deliverance from captivity. It was not extremity of justice that so punished them, but it will be the riches of mercy that thus pardons and redeems them. After they have borne their shame The shame and reproach due to their sins; and all their trespasses That is, the punishment of those trespasses, committed when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid When they were in a state of peace, prosperity, and safety, which should have obliged them to love and obedience; but even then they sinned, as if dangers and calamities would never overtake them. Strange ingratitude! to cast off the fear of God, and all regard to his law, when he had set them free from the fear of all enemies.