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.

The Vision of the Dry Bones

With the hand of ADONAI upon me, ADONAI carried me out by his Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones.

He had me pass by all around them - there were so many bones lying in the valley, and they were so dry!

He asked me, "Human being, can these bones live?" I answered, "Adonai ELOHIM! Only you know that!"

Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones! Say to them, 'Dry bones! Hear what ADONAI has to say!

To these bones Adonai ELOHIM says, "I will make breath enter you, and you will live.

I will attach ligaments to you, make flesh grow on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you. You will live, and you will know that I am ADONAI."'"

So I prophesied as ordered; and while I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound; it was the bones coming together, each bone in its proper place.

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

Next he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath! Prophesy, human being! Say to the breath that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Come from the four winds, breath; and breathe on these slain, so that they can live.'"

So I prophesied as ordered, and the breath came into them, and they were alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army!

Then he said to me, "Human being! These bones are the whole house of Isra'el; and they are saying, 'Our bones have dried up, our hope is gone, and we are completely cut off.'

Therefore prophesy; say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'My people! I will open your graves and make you get up out of your graves, and I will bring you into the land of Isra'el.

Then you will know that I am ADONAI - when I have opened your graves and made you get up out of your graves, my people!

I will put my Spirit in you; and you will be alive. Then I will place you in your own land; and you will know that I, ADONAI, have spoken, and that I have done it,' says ADONAI."

Reunification of Israel and Judah

The word of ADONAI came to me:

"You, human being, take one stick and write on it, 'For Y'hudah and those joined with him [among] the people of Isra'el.' Next, take another stick and write on it, 'For Yosef, the stick of Efrayim, and all the house of Isra'el who are joined with him.'

Finally, bring them together into a single stick, so that they become one in your hand.

When your people ask you what all this means,

tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I will take the stick of Yosef, which is in the hand of Efrayim, together with the tribes of Isra'el who are joined with him, and put them together with the stick of Y'hudah and make them a single stick, so that they become one in my hand.'

The sticks on which you write are to be in your hand as they watch.

Then say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will take the people of Isra'el from among the nations where they have gone and gather them from every side and bring them back to their own land.

I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Isra'el; and one king will be king for all of them. They will no longer be two nations, and they will never again be divided into two kingdoms.

"'They will never again defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, or any of their transgressions; but I will save them from all the places where they have been living and sinning; and I will cleanse them, so that they will be my people, and I will be their God.

My servant David will be king over them, and all of them will have one shepherd; they will live by my rulings and keep and observe my regulations.

They will live in the land I gave to Ya'akov my servant, where your ancestors lived; they will live there - they, their children, and their grandchildren, forever; and David my servant will be their leader forever.

I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give to them, increase their numbers, and set my sanctuary among them forever.

My home will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.

The nations will know that I am ADONAI, who sets Isra'el apart as holy, when my sanctuary is with 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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