Ezekiel37

Ezekiel is transported by the Spirit to a valley filled with dry bones, which the Lord commands him to prophesy over. The bones miraculously reassemble, gain flesh, and are then given breath, standing as a great army, symbolizing the restoration of the 'whole house of Israel' from their despair and captivity. Subsequently, Ezekiel is instructed to join two sticks, representing Judah and Joseph, into one, signifying the future reunification of the divided kingdoms of Israel under one king and an everlasting covenant of peace.

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The Vision of the Dry Bones

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by His Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones.

He led me all around among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, and indeed, they were very dry.

Then He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?” “O Lord GOD,” I replied, “only You know.”

And He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and tell them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!

This is what the Lord GOD says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will come to life.

I will attach tendons to you and make flesh grow upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath within you so that you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

So I prophesied as I had been commanded. And as I prophesied, there was suddenly a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone.

As I looked on, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.

Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and tell the breath that this is what the Lord GOD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, so that they may live!”

So I prophesied as He had commanded me, and the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet—a vast army.

Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’

Therefore prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O My people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

Then you, My people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.

I will put My Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.’”

Reunification of Israel and Judah

Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

“And you, son of man, take a single stick and write on it: ‘Belonging to Judah and to the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another stick and write on it: ‘Belonging to Joseph—the stick of Ephraim—and to all the house of Israel associated with him.’

Then join them together into one stick, so that they become one in your hand.

When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you explain to us what you mean by these?’

you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel associated with him, and I will put them together with the stick of Judah. I will make them into a single stick, and they will become one in My hand.’

When the sticks on which you write are in your hand and in full view of the people,

you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take the Israelites out of the nations to which they have gone, and I will gather them from all around and bring them into their own land.

I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over all of them. Then they will no longer be two nations and will never again be divided into two kingdoms.

They will no longer defile themselves with their idols or detestable images, or with any of their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow My ordinances and keep and observe My statutes.

They will live in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They will live there forever with their children and grandchildren, and My servant David will be their prince forever.

And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary among them forever.

My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Then the nations will know that I the LORD sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is among them forever.’”

Study Notes for Ezekiel 37

Verse 1

The setting is a prophetic vision experienced 'in the spirit of the LORD,' emphasizing that this is a divine revelation, not a physical event. The 'valley full of bones' symbolizes the desperate, lifeless state of the exiled nation of Israel.

Verse 2

The description 'very dry' emphasizes the permanence and hopelessness of the national death represented by the exile; it suggests a catastrophe long past redemption by human effort.

Verse 3

Ezekiel's response, 'O Lord GOD, thou knowest,' shows humility and acknowledges that the power required for such a miracle belongs solely to God, setting the stage for a dramatic display of divine sovereignty.

Verse 4

The method of restoration is through the powerful, creative Word of God. Ezekiel is commanded to 'prophesy,' underscoring that God’s life-giving power is channeled through the proclamation of His message.

Verse 5

The word translated 'breath' is *ruach*, which means wind, breath, or spirit. This links the physical revival directly to the life-giving power of God's Spirit.

Verse 8

The restoration occurs in two stages: physical reassembly (flesh and skin) followed by the infusion of life (*ruach*). This separation highlights that physical existence alone is not true life; it requires God's animating Spirit.

Verse 9

The second command to prophesy is directed to the *wind* (*ruach*), explicitly summoning the life-giving Spirit from all directions to animate the waiting bodies.

Verse 10

The result is an 'exceeding great army,' signifying that the restored nation will be strong, numerous, and ready for God's future purposes, reversing the shame of defeat and scattering.

Verse 11

This verse provides the essential interpretation: the dry bones represent the 'whole house of Israel,' who, in exile, felt totally abandoned and 'cut off' from their covenant relationship and homeland.

Verse 12

Opening their 'graves' is a metaphor for bringing the exiles out of Babylon, which they viewed as a place of national death and burial. God promises a miraculous resurrection and return to the land of Israel.

Verse 14

The promise of putting God's *spirit* (*ruach*) in them confirms that the physical restoration (return to the land) will be accompanied by spiritual renewal and cleansing (cf. Ezek 36:26-27).

Verse 16

The stick for Judah represents the Southern Kingdom (Judah and Benjamin), while the stick for Joseph/Ephraim represents the Northern Kingdom (the ten tribes), scattered centuries earlier by Assyria.

Verse 17

The symbolic action of joining the two sticks illustrates the promised future political reunification, reversing the division that occurred after the death of Solomon (1 Kings 12).

Verse 22

The promise of 'one king' signifies the end of the civil war and political division that plagued the nation for centuries, establishing a unified monarchy under God’s authority.

Verse 23

Cleansing from *idols* and *transgressions* is essential. The physical restoration is intrinsically linked to a future spiritual purity, ensuring the people will maintain their covenant obligations.

Verse 24

'David my servant' refers to the future Messianic King. Since the historical David was long dead, this title points to the ideal, eternal ruler who will perfectly fulfill the Davidic covenant. He will be the 'one shepherd' leading God's people.

Verse 25

The guarantee of perpetual dwelling in the land is tied directly to the eternal reign of the Davidic Prince (*Nasi*), emphasizing the permanence of God's covenant promises.

Verse 26

The 'covenant of peace' (*shalom*) is synonymous with the New Covenant (Jer 31) and guarantees security, wholeness, and an unbreakable relationship with God.

Verse 27

The climax of the restoration is the permanent return of God's presence (*tabernacle*) among His people, fulfilling the ultimate covenant promise: 'I will be their God, and they shall be my people.'

Verse 28

The final goal of Israel’s restoration is doxological: the surrounding 'heathen' nations will recognize God’s power and holiness because of His permanent, sanctifying presence in the midst of Israel.

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Ezekiel37

The Vision of the Dry Bones

Reunification of Israel and Judah

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