יחזקאל, פרק ל״ד, פסוק י״ג

The prophecy of redemption shifts from the metaphor of a shepherd and his flock to the clear reality of the Israelites returning home. The restoration of the scattered nation is envisioned as a process of finding lost sheep and bringing them to rich, excellent pastures.

God promises to redeem the people through two complementary actions. First, He will extract them from among the nations, actively freeing those who fell into captivity and live under the control of foreign powers. At the same time, He will gather those who simply scattered and wandered across the world, bringing all of them back to their rightful place [מלבי״ם].

Once gathered, God will bring them to their land to graze upon the mountains of Israel. Rather than a dry or barren landscape, this destination is a choice, high-quality pasture, reflecting that the land of Israel is the most beautiful and glorious of all lands. Specifically, the mountains point toward Jerusalem, which will serve as their ultimate home and dwelling place [אברבנאל].

This promised grazing land is situated by flowing streams and riverbeds [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ], representing the most abundant and desirable areas for settlement [מצודת דוד]. The combination of mountains and streams perfectly maps the animal metaphor onto the actual geography of the land. In nature, goats naturally graze high up in the mountains, while sheep require the softer pastures found in valleys and along water sources. Similarly, the Israelites will return to their land and comfortably settle in every good and suitable location, thriving equally in the mountain regions and the fertile valleys [רד״ק].