יחזקאל, פרק ל״ו, פסוק י״ב

A profound message of restoration is directed to the mountains of the Land of Israel, promising an end to their long desolation and the permanent return of the people to their soil. God declares that as the exile concludes, He Himself will guide the Israelites on their journey and bring them back to the mountains [רד״ק]. This future return stands in stark contrast to the era of the Second Temple, when only a fraction of the people returned on their own initiative. In this ultimate redemption, God will lead them through His direct providence, and they will fully become His people once again [מלבי״ם].

The divine promise is deeply personal, addressed directly to each individual mountain [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The restoration of the land unfolds in two distinct stages. First comes the immediate transfer of ownership, as the land is placed firmly back into the hands of the Israelites. Following this initial return, the land becomes a lasting estate, ensuring that their hold on it will continue across all future generations as an eternal inheritance [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].

Because this return is permanent, the land receives a final guarantee that it will never again suffer loss. The primary approach among commentators is that this sorrow refers to the pain of expulsion. The land will never again cast out its inhabitants or be left empty without them, for there will never be another exile [רש״י, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Furthermore, this promise ensures absolute physical safety, guaranteeing that the people will be protected from death, ruin, and destruction while living securely within their borders [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ].