John Gill Commentary Ezekiel 36:38

"As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men; and they shall know that I am Jehovah." — Ezekiel 36:38 (ASV)

As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn
feasts
Like flocks of sheep, which were consecrated and set apart for holy uses, for sacrifices; even like the flocks of sheep, which were brought to Jerusalem to be offered in sacrifice at the three solemn festivals in the year; especially at the passover, when the Jews came from all parts of the country to slay and eat their passover; and every family had a lamb, which in all must be a great number: we read of thirty thousand lambs and three thousand bullocks given at one time for this service by King Josiah, besides what was given by the princes, (2 Chronicles 35:7–9).

The Targum is, ``as the holy people, as a people that is cleansed, and comes to Jerusalem at the feasts of the passover:''

or, "as the flock of the Holy Ones" ^F17 ; either of the holy God, Father, Son, and Spirit; or of holy men, who are made holy or sanctified by the Spirit of God:

so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men ;
or with men that are like sheep for meekness, harmlessness, patience, cleanness, society, and usefulness; and not with such as are comparable to unclean beasts, or beasts of prey; so it denotes both the quantity of persons that shall inhabit Judea, and dwelt both in the cities and churches there, and the quality of them.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F17: (Myvdq Nauk) "sicut oves sanctorum", Vatablus, Gussetius, Starckius.