TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Ezekiel 37:1–14. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here is, I. The vision of a resurrection from death to life, and it is a glorious resurrection. This is a thing so utterly unknown to nature, and so contrary to its principles (a privatione ad habitum non datur regressus - from privation to possession there is no return), that we could have no thought of it but by the word of the Lord; and that it is certain by that word that there shall be a general resurrection of the dead some have urged from this vision, "For" (say they) "otherwise it would not properly be made a sign for the confirming of their faith in the promise of their deliverance out of Babylon, as the coming of the Messiah is mentioned for the confirming of their faith touching a former deliverance," Isa 7:14. But,
1.Whether it be a confirmation or no, it is without doubt a most lively representation of a threefold resurrection, besides that which it is primarily intended to be the sign of.
(1.)The resurrection of souls from the death of sin to the life or righteousness, to a holy, heavenly, spiritual, and divine life, by the power of divine grace going along with the word of Christ, Joh 5:24, Joh 5:25.
(2.)The resurrection of the gospel church, or any part of it, from an afflicted persecuted state, especially under the yoke of the New Testament Babylon, to liberty and peace.
(3.)The resurrection of the body at the great day, especially the bodies of believers that shall rise to life eternal.
2.Let us observe the particulars of this vision.
(1.)The deplorable condition of these dead bones. The prophet was made, [1.] to take an exact view of them. By a prophetic impulse and a divine power he was, in vision, carried out and set in the midst of a valley, probably that plain spoken of Eze 3:22, where God then talked with him; and it was full of bones, of dead men's bones, not piled up on a heap, as in a charnel-house, but scattered upon the face of the ground, as if some bloody battle had been fought here, and the slain left unburied till all the flesh was devoured or putrefied, and nothing left but the bones, and those disjointed from one another and dispersed. He passed by them round about, and he observed not only that they were very many (for there are multitudes gone to the congregation of the dead), but that, lo, they were very dry, having been long exposed to the sun and wind. The bones that have been moistened with marrow (Job 21:24), when they have been any while dead, lose all their moisture, and are dry as dust. The body is now fenced with bones (Job 10:11), but then they will themselves be defenceless. The Jews in Babylon were like those dead and dry bones, unlikely ever to come together, to be so much as a skeleton, less likely to be formed into a body, and least of all to be a living body. However, they lay unburied in the open valley, which encouraged the hopes of their resurrection, as of the two witnesses, Rev 11:8, Rev 11:9. The bones of Gog and Magog shall be buried (Eze 39:12, Eze 39:15), for their destruction is final; but the bones of Israel are in the open valley, under the eye of Heaven, for there is hope in their end. [2.] He was made to own their case deplorable, and not to be helped by any power less than that of God himself (Eze 37:3): "Son of man, can these bones live? Is it a thing likely? Cast thou devise how it should be done? Can thy philosophy reach to put life into dry bones, or thy politics to restore a captive nation?" "No," says the prophet, "I know not how it should be done, but thou knowest." He does not say, "They cannot live," lest he should seem to limit the Holy One of Israel; but, "Lord, thou knowest whether they can and whether they shall; if thou dost not put life into them, it is certain that they cannot life." Note, God is perfectly acquainted with his own power and his own purposes, and will have us to refer all to them, and to see and own that his wondrous works are such as could not be effected by any counsel or power but his own.
(2.)The means used for the bringing of these dispersed bones together and these dead and dry bones to life. It must be done by prophecy. Ezekiel is ordered to prophesy upon these bones (Eze 37:4 and again Eze 37:9), to prophesy to the wind. So he prophesied as he was commanded, Eze 37:7, Eze 37:10.
[1.]He must preach, and he did so; and the dead bones lived by a power that went along with the word of God which he preached.
[2.]He must pray, and he did so; and the dead bones were made to live in answer to prayer; for a spirit of life entered into them. See the efficacy of the word and prayer, and the necessity of both, for the raising of dead souls. God bids his ministers prophesy upon the dry bones. Say unto them, Live; yea, say unto them, Live; and they do as they are commanded, calling to them again and again, O you dry bones! hear the word of the Lord. But we call in vain, still they are dead, still they are very dry; we must therefore be earnest with God in prayer for the working of the Spirit with the word: Come, O breath! and breathe upon them. God's grace can save souls without our preaching, but our preaching cannot save them without God's grace, and that grace must be sought by prayer. Note, Ministers must faithfully and diligently use the means of grace, even with those that there seems little probability of gaining upon. To prophesy upon dry bones seems as great a penance as to water a dry stick; and yet, whether they will hear or forbear, we must discharge our trust, must prophesy as we are commanded, in the name of him who raises the dead and is the fountain of life.
(3.)The wonderful effect of these means. Those that do as they are commanded, as they are commissioned, in the face of the greatest discouragements, need not doubt of success, for God will own and enrich his own appointments.
[1.]Ezekiel looked down and prophesied upon the bones in the valley, and they became human bodies. First, That which he had to say to them was that God would infallibly raise them to life: Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, You shall live, Eze 37:5 and again Eze 37:6. And he that speaks the word will thereby do the work; he that says, They shall live, will make them alive: He will clothe them with skin and flesh (Eze 37:6), as he did at first, Job 10:11. He that made us so fearfully and wonderfully, and curiously wrought us, can in like manner new-make us, for his arm is not shortened. Secondly, That which was immediately done for them was that they were moulded anew into shape. We may well suppose it was with great liveliness and vigour that the prophet prophesied, especially when he found what he said begin to take effect. Note, The opening, sealing, and applying of the promises, are the ordinary means of our participation of a new and divine nature. As Ezekiel prophesied in this vision there was a noise, a word of command, from heaven, seconding what he said; or it signified the motion of the angels that were to be employed as the ministers of the divine Providence in the deliverance of the Jews, and we read of the noise of their wings (Eze 1:24) and the sound of their going, Sa2 5:24. And, behold, a shaking, or commotion, among the bones. Even dead and dry bones begin to move when they are called to hear the word of the Lord. This was fulfilled when, upon Cyrus's proclamation of liberty, those whose spirits God had stirred up began to think of making use of that liberty, and getting ready to be gone. When there was a noise, behold, a shaking; when David heard the sound of the going on the tops of the mulberry-trees then he bestirred himself; then there was a shaking. When Paul heard the voice saying, Why persecutest thou me? behold, a shaking of the dry bones; he trembled and was astonished. But this was not all: The bones came together bone to his bone, under a divine direction; and, though there is in man a multitude of bones, yet of all the bones of those numerous slain not one was missing, not one missed its way, not one missed its place, but, as it were by instinct, each knew and found its fellow. The dispersed bones came together and the displaced bones were knit together, the divine power supplying that to these dry bones which in a living body every joint supplies. Thus shall it be in the resurrection of the dead; the scattered atoms shall be ranged and marshalled in their proper place and order, and every bone come to his bone, by the same wisdom and power by which the bones were first formed in the womb of her that is with child. Thus it was in the return of the Jews; those that were scattered in several parts of the province of Babylon came to their respective families, and all as it were by consent to the general rendezvous, in order to their return. By degrees sinews and flesh came upon these bones, and the skin covered them, Eze 37:8. This was fulfilled when the captives got their effects about them, and the men of their place helped them with silver, and gold, and whatever they needed for their remove, Ezr 1:4. But still there was no breath in them; they wanted spirit and courage for such a difficult and hazardous enterprise as this was of returning to their own land.
[2.]Ezekiel then looked up and prophesied to the wind, or breath, or spirit, and said, Come, O breath! and breathe upon these slain. As good have been still dry bones as dead bodies: but as for God his work is perfect; he is not the God of the dead, but of the living; therefore breathe upon them that they may live. In answer to this request, the breath immediately came into them, Eze 37:10. Note, the spirit of life is from God; he at first in the creation breathed into man the breath of life, and so he will at last in the resurrection. The dispirited despairing captives were wonderfully animated with resolution to break through all the discouragements that lay in the way of their return and applied themselves to it with all imaginable vigour. And then they stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army; not only living men, but effective men, fit for service in the wars and formidable to all that gave them any opposition. Note, With God nothing is impossible. He can out of stones raise up children unto Abraham and out of dead and dry bones levy an exceedingly great army to fight his battles and plead his cause.
II.The application of this vision to the present calamitous condition of the Jews in captivity:
These bones are the whole house of Israel, both the ten tribes and the two. See in this what they are and what they shall be.
1.The depth of despair to which they are now reduced, Eze 37:11. They all give up themselves for lost and gone; they say, "Our bones are dried, our strength is exhausted, our spirits are gone, our hope is all lost; every thing we looked for succour and relief from fails us, and we are cut off for our parts. Let who will cherish some hope, we see no ground for any." Note, When troubles continue long, hopes have been often frustrated, and all creature-confidences fail, it is not strange if the spirits sink; and nothing but an active faith in the power, promise, and providence of God will keep them from quite dying away.
2.The height of prosperity to which, notwithstanding this, they shall be advanced: "therefore, because things have come thus to the last extremity, prophesy to them, and tell them, now is God's time to appear for them. Jehovah-jireh - in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen, Eze 37:12-14. Tell them," (1.) "That they shall be brought out of the land of their enemies, where they are as it were buried alive: I will open your graves." Those shall be restored, not only whose bones are scattered at the grave's mouth (Psa 141:7), but who are buried in the grave; though the power of the enemy is like the bars of the pit, which one would think it impossible to break through, strong as death and cruel as the grave, yet it shall be conquered. God can bring his people up from the depths of the earth, Psa 71:20. (2.) "That they shall be brought into their own land, where they shall live in prosperity: I will bring you into the land of Israel (Eze 37:12) and place you there (Eze 37:14), and will put my spirit in you and then you shall live." Note, Then God puts spirit in us to good purpose, and so that we shall indeed live, when he puts his Spirit in us. And (lastly) in all this God will be glorified: You shall know that I am the Lord (Eze 37:13), and that I have spoken it and performed it, Eze 37:14. Note, God's quickening the dead redounds more than any thing to his honour, and to the honour of his word, which he has magnified above all his name, and will magnify more and more by the punctual accomplishment of every tittle of it.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
13 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
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The mystery of the resurrection is great and difficult for many of us to understand. It is mentioned also in many other passages of the Scriptures and is proclaimed no less through these words in Ezekiel.
If there is some excellent glory in the eye, it is particularly in this: that either it is the leader of the body or it is not abandoned by the functions of the other members. I think this is what is taught to us through that vision of the prophet Ezekiel.
He will contemplate truly admirable souls that have been brought back from the grave to reanimate completely consumed bodies.
But why, my beloved, was it that those dead did not rise because of the one word [spoken] through Ezekiel, and why was not their resurrection, both of bones and spirit, accomplished [through that one word]? For look! By one word the bones were fitted together, and by another the Spirit came. It was in order that full perfection might be left for our Lord Jesus Christ, who with one utterance and one word will raise up at the last day every human body. For it was not the word that was insufficient but its bearer was inferior.
The hope of resurrection is the root of every kind of good work, for the expectation of reward braces the soul to productive toil. And whereas every worker is ready to sustain his toil if he can look forward to being repaid for his labors, where toil has no recompense the soul is soon discouraged and the body flags with it. A soldier who expects his share of the spoils is ready for war. But no one is prepared to die serving a king so undiscerning that he does not provide rewards for labors. In the same way, any soul that believes in resurrection takes care for itself, as is right, but any soul that disbelieves the resurrection abandons itself to destruction. A person who believes that the body survives to rise again is careful of this garment and does not soil it by fornicating. But a person who does not believe in the resurrection gives himself up to fornication, abusing his own body as if it were nothing to him. A mighty message and teaching of the holy Catholic church is belief about the resurrection of the dead; mighty and most indispensable. While many deny it, the truth claims credence for it. Greeks deny it, Samaritans disbelieve, while heretics tear away the half. Truth never appears but in one shape, while contradiction assumes a hundred.
Ezekiel, with prophetic spirit, has surpassed all time and space and with his power of prediction has stood at the very moment of the resurrection. Seeing the future as already present, he has brought it before our eyes in his description.
In minute detail the holy prophet Ezekiel teaches and describes how strength will be restored to our dry bones, feeling return and motion added; how, with the return of sinews, the whole structure of the human body will grow strong, and how the driest bones will be clothed with restored flesh and the openings of the veins and the streams of the blood will be concealed by a veil of skin drawn tautly over them. At the very words of the prophet, as we read, the crop of human bodies seems to rise up again to life, and one may see the wide expanses of the fields sprouting with a novel kind of growth.
Note how the prophet shows that there was hearing and movement in the bones before the Spirit of life was poured on them. For, above, both the dry bones are bidden to hear, as if they had the sense of hearing, and that on this each of them came to its own joint is pointed out by the words of the prophet.…Great is the lovingkindness of the Lord, that the prophet is taken as a witness of the future resurrection, that we, too, might see it with his eyes. For all could not be taken as witnesses, but in that one all we are witnesses, for neither does lying come on a holy person or error on so great a prophet.
There were at all events many wonderful and great prophets among ourselves who spoke many things about the future, and they in no way used to bid those who asked them to dig up the bones of the departed. Ezekiel standing near the bones themselves was not only not hindered by [the bones] but added flesh, and nerves and skin to them and brought them back to life again.
The vision is a famous one and is celebrated by being read in all the churches of Christ.
(Chapter 37, verses 1 onwards) The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. And He led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord God, you know.' Then He said to me, 'Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.' And I prophesied as he had commanded me: and the noise came, and behold a commotion: and the bones came together, each one to its joint. And I saw, and behold there were sinews upon them, and flesh came up, and skin was stretched out over them, but there was no spirit in them. And he said to me: Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, son of man, and say to the spirit: Thus saith the Lord God: Come, spirit, from the four winds, and blow upon these slain, and let them live again. And I prophesied as He commanded me, and the spirit entered into them and they came to life: a vast army. Then he said to me: Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say: Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off. Therefore, prophesy and say to them: This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them, my people; 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 am the Lord; I have spoken and I will do it, declares the Lord God. LXX: And the hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the plain, and it was full of human bones, and he led me round about them, on every side: and behold there were very many upon the face of the plain, and they were very dry. And he said to me: Son of man, dost thou think these bones shall live? And I answered: O Lord God, thou knowest. And he said to me: Prophesy concerning these bones; and say to them: Ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will send spirit into you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to grow over you, and will cover you with skin: and I will give you spirit, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord. And I prophesied as he commanded me: and the voice came to pass, while I prophesied, that behold a commotion, and the bones came together, each one to its joint. And I saw, and behold sinews came upon them, and flesh grew and skin covered them above, but there was no spirit in them. And he said to me: Prophesy, son of man, prophesy upon the spirit, and say to the spirit: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O spirit, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. And I prophesied as I had been commanded, and the spirit entered into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, a very great assembly. Then the Lord spoke to me, saying: Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say: Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are completely cut off. Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people, and I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord God. The vision is famous and celebrated by the reading of all the Church of Christ: for this reason, I have included both editions in their entirety, lest any slander against us be made by the Hebrews, if at least in words there may be some discrepancy. For they are accustomed to laugh at us, raise their eyebrows, and belch forth their knowledge of the Scriptures, if I may not say the disagreement of meanings (which, if it exists, is rightly condemned), if they can demonstrate any dissonance of words in our codices. Therefore, those who believe in the resurrection, which is believed by both Jews and Christians to be the word of God, often say the following: 'The hand of the Lord has come upon the prophet,' meaning the Lord, who is also the Savior, through whom the Father has done all things. For everything was made by him, and without him was made nothing that was made.' And he said, 'The spirit of the Lord took me, and the hand of the Lord was upon me.' And he was taken in the spirit, not in the body, but outside the body, and he was placed, or sent, in the midst of a field that was full of human bones. And he did not have rest there, but he caused all the bones, which were not covered by the earth but were lying on the field, to circle around. And there were not only many bones, but many bones excessively dry and parched due to the old age of time, and they did not have any moisture in them. And when the divine speaker asked him whether he thought these bones could live, he responded: Lord God, you know, who have full knowledge of the future. And the Lord said to him: Prophesy over the bones, whether over these bones, and you shall say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. It is remarkable how he spoke to dry bones, which before nerves, flesh, and skin, and the life-giving spirit of God, could hear his word. And first, the bones are bound together with the ligaments of the nerves, then they are filled with flesh, and the skin is stretched over them for beauty, which covers the ugliness of the exposed flesh; and then they receive breath, which makes them alive, and after they have lived, then they know that He is the Lord. So, as the prophet had commanded, there was immediately a commotion, and the bones were joined together in their proper framework, bound with nerves, filled with flesh, covered with skin: and there lay human bodies without breath. Therefore, the prophet prophesies to the spirit, and says: Thus says the Lord God: Come, O spirit, from the four winds; come, that is, from the four corners of the world, so that just as in the first creation of man God breathed into his face and he became a living soul (Genesis 2:7), so in the second creation, that is, the resurrection of the dead, being breathed upon by the spirit, they may be brought to life again; for when the spirit entered the human bodies, immediately they lived, and stood upon their feet. Therefore, the resurrection of the dead is also called a gathering, or the Church, many (Psalms CIII, 30), and as it is said in Hebrew, a great army; and it is fulfilled at a certain time: 'Send forth your spirit, and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.' But when it is said: 'And he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel,' it seems to raise a question, because it is not speaking of the general resurrection, but specifically of the resurrection of the house of Israel, which says: 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost, and we are cut off from our own land,' or we have completely despaired. In response to those saying these things, Ezekiel is compelled to prophesy for the third time, and he says to the dry bones: 'Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves.' In which it is asked: If he opens the tombs, how did he say above: There were indeed very many on the face of the plain, and very dry. And I will bring you up from your tombs, my people, according to that which is written in the Gospel: The hour is coming; when those who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who have done good will come forth unto the resurrection of life (John 5:28-29). And again: Those who hear will live (ibid.). And if, as some think, the divine discourse speaks of the general resurrection, why was it necessary to say specifically: And I will bring you into the land of Israel, when the dead in every corner of the earth must rise from the places where they were buried? And when, he says, I shall bring you out of your graves and give you my spirit, and you shall live, then I will make you rest upon your own land, so that after you have rested in the land of Israel, then you may know that I am the Lord, who has fulfilled my promises with deeds. Therefore, when they understand these things about the general resurrection, that which seems to raise the question: 'These bones are the whole house of Israel,' they refer to the resurrection of the saints, about which the Apostle John also speaks in the Apocalypse: 'Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection; over such the second death has no power' (Rev. 20:6): that is to say, there is a different resurrection for the saints and for the sinners. And in the first Psalm it says: The wicked will not rise in judgment, nor sinners in the council of the righteous. But the land of Israel, which the Lord promises to those who rise, they confirm to be the same, as it is written: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:4) And: I will please the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 116:9) These things are spoken by those who think that Ezekiel wrote about the general resurrection, as we have said. But those who interpret them in this way should not envy us, because by interpreting this passage differently, we seem to deny the resurrection. For we know that much stronger testimonies, in which there is no doubt, are found in the holy Scriptures, such as that of Job: 'You will raise up my flesh, which supports these things' (Job 19). And in Daniel: 'Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt' (Dan. 12:2). And in the Gospel: Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). And the Apostle Paul: But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you (Romans 8:11), and many others. From which it is clear that we do not deny the resurrection, but we do not contend for these unwritten things about the resurrection. And through the parable of the resurrection, it is prophesied about the restoration of Israel, which was captive in Babylon at that time. We will not immediately give occasion to the heretics if we deny that these things are understood about the common resurrection. For the likeness of the resurrection would never be set forth to signify the restoration of the Israelite people unless the resurrection itself stood, and the future was believed: because no one confirms uncertain things about things that do not exist. And our whole assertion tends toward that, which seems incredulous, that a future resurrection is promised to dry bones and those worn down by much antiquity; and yet what is promised will indeed happen; in the same way, the restoration of the Israelite people, who were led into captivity and dispersed throughout the whole world, seems indeed incredible to those who do not know the power of God, but it is, however, future: for I, says the Lord, have spoken, and I will do as I have promised. And in the previous prophecy, in which the ancient state of the mountains of Israel is promised, the Lord says to them: And I will turn to you, and you shall be plowed and sown, and you shall receive seed, and I will multiply men in you, and all the house of Israel (above verse 9, 10); and again, that the house of Israel will dwell in their own land, which was once uncultivated, and will become like a garden of delight, and the deserted and destitute cities will be fortified; and the house of Israel will multiply in them, like a flock of sheep, and the other things that follow pertain to the same meaning, which is now expressed figuratively and metaphorically as dry bones, having no moisture of life, with the fulfillment of what is written in the Gospel: The things that are impossible with men, are possible with God (Matthew 19:26). But all these things confirm the Jews, either under Zerubbabel, as I said before, when a great commotion took place; and the kingdom of the Chaldeans was translated into the Medes and the Persians: or at the coming of their Christ, whom they suppose is to come. But we spiritually commemorate the completion after the cross of the Lord and Savior; and this happens daily, especially to those who, like Lazarus, bound by the bands of their sins, are raised up at the voice of the Lord (John 11); and truly they are the house of Israel, once desolate and without hope of salvation: but as the spirit of grace enters into them and the Lord stretches out his hand, they are liberated from the depths of Hell: and those who previously said, 'Lord God, you know these things,' afterwards hear, being freed: 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?' (Matthew 14:31).
If you are skeptical that ashes can be reassembled into bodies and souls restored to their vessels, Ezekiel will be your witness, for long ago the whole process of resurrection was revealed to him by the Lord. In his pages you will behold the dusty remains of people of old come to life over the entire region, bones scattered far and wide over the broad plain spontaneously hastening to fuse together when bidden, sprouting sinews from the innermost marrow and then drawing the skin over the flesh that had grown on them. Then the limbs are perfectly ordered more quickly than words can tell, and from the ancient dust stand forth people made new.
Again this is the spirit of contemplation; he did not see these bodies that were shown to him with his eyes, but he had them revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.
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Summary
Ezekiel 37:11 serves as God's explicit divine interpretation of the preceding vision of the valley of dry bones, unequivocally identifying the scattered, lifeless bones as "the whole house of Israel" in their Babylonian exile. This verse powerfully encapsulates the profound despair and utter hopelessness of the exiled nation, who lament that their very existence, vitality, and future as a covenant people have been irrevocably extinguished. They perceive themselves as completely "cut off" from God's promises and their heritage, setting the stage for God's miraculous intervention to demonstrate that Israel's restoration is entirely dependent on His sovereign power to bring life out of the most profound death.
Context
Literary Context
Ezekiel 37:11 immediately follows the dramatic and vivid vision of the valley of dry bones presented in Ezekiel 37:1-10. In this preceding passage, the prophet Ezekiel is led by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with countless, exceedingly dry bones. At God's command, Ezekiel prophesies to these bones, witnessing their miraculous reassembly, the growth of sinews, flesh, and skin upon them, and finally, the divine breath entering them, causing them to stand as an immense army. Verse 11 functions as the crucial interpretive key to this profound vision. It removes any ambiguity, transitioning from the symbolic, metaphorical depiction of death and reanimation to an explicit, unambiguous identification of the "bones" with the "whole house of Israel." This direct divine explanation ensures that the audience grasps the spiritual and national reality the vision addresses, grounding the powerful imagery firmly in the historical despair of the exiles and setting the stage for God's subsequent promise of national and spiritual restoration.
Historical & Cultural Context
The book of Ezekiel is situated firmly within the traumatic period of the Babylonian exile, specifically between 597 BCE and 538 BCE. This was a time of unprecedented national crisis for the Israelites, marked by the destruction of Jerusalem, the desecration and burning of the Temple, and the forced deportation of the populace to a foreign land. For a people whose identity, covenant relationship with Yahweh, and theological understanding were deeply intertwined with the land of Israel and the Temple in Jerusalem, exile represented not merely a political defeat but a profound theological catastrophe. Their displacement fostered an overwhelming sense of abandonment, shame, and the crushing belief that God had forsaken them, leading to the conviction that their national identity had ceased to exist. The imagery of "dried bones" would have resonated deeply with a people who felt their national body was dead, scattered, and beyond any natural hope of revival, echoing the deep lamentations found in other exilic texts such as Psalm 137.
Key Themes
This verse serves as a pivotal point for several dominant themes woven throughout the book of Ezekiel and the broader prophetic tradition. It powerfully articulates the theme of Profound Despair and Hopelessness, vividly portraying the nation's spiritual and national death, a state from which they believed there was no return. It underscores Divine Identification and Diagnosis, as God Himself explicitly identifies the "dry bones" with "the whole house of Israel," affirming their desperate condition while simultaneously revealing His intimate awareness of their suffering. Furthermore, it sets the stage for the overarching theme of Divine Sovereignty and Restoration, emphasizing that Israel's state of utter lifelessness necessitates a miraculous act of God for any form of revival or re-gathering. This divine power to bring life out of death is a recurring motif in Ezekiel, foreshadowing God's promise to give His people a new heart and a new spirit and to re-establish His covenant with them, as seen in Ezekiel 34.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Derived from a root meaning "to build," this versatile word primarily refers to a physical dwelling but extends broadly to encompass family, household, and by extension, a nation, dynasty, or collective body. In the phrase "the whole house of Israel," it signifies the entire collective entity of the Israelite people, emphasizing their comprehensive national identity, lineage, and covenantal heritage. The use of "house" here underscores the all-encompassing nature of their perceived demise—it was not merely individuals, but the very fabric of their national existence that felt shattered and lost.
This primitive root means "to dry up," "wither," or "be ashamed/confounded." When applied to bones, it denotes extreme desiccation, signifying a state of complete lifelessness, decay, and utter lack of moisture or vitality. The "dried bones" are not merely recently deceased but long dead, emphasizing the impossibility of natural resuscitation and the profound, enduring nature of Israel's despair and spiritual barrenness. It conveys a sense of utter exhaustion and the absence of any remaining life force.
A primitive root meaning "to cut down or off," "to divide," "to exclude," or "to decide." In this context, it conveys a profound sense of being completely severed, fragmented, or annihilated. The people feel irrevocably separated from their heritage, their land, their God, and their future as a covenant people. It suggests a finality, as if their very existence as a nation had been decisively "cut off" or determined to be over, leaving them scattered, without cohesion, and without hope of rejoining or being restored.
Verse Breakdown
"Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel"
This opening clause provides the immediate and authoritative divine interpretation of the preceding vision. God explicitly identifies the seemingly lifeless and scattered bones not as a general metaphor for death, but as a direct and precise representation of the entire Israelite nation. The address "Son of man" (a common title for Ezekiel throughout the book) emphasizes his human perspective and the vast chasm between human understanding and the divine revelation he is about to receive and convey, highlighting the supernatural origin of this truth.
"behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost"
Here, God quotes the very lament of the exiled Israelites, giving poignant voice to their profound despair and the depth of their spiritual and psychological crisis. The phrase "Our bones are dried" reiterates the imagery of utter lifelessness and decay, indicating a state beyond any natural recovery or self-resurrection. The declaration "our hope is lost" reveals the complete abandonment of any expectation of restoration, signifying that they believed their covenant promises, national identity, and future were irrevocably gone.
"we are cut off for our parts."
This final phrase amplifies the sense of fragmentation, finality, and existential termination. "Cut off" (Hebrew: gâzar) implies a complete severance, a decisive separation from their land, their Temple, their God, and their identity as a unified people. "For our parts" can be understood as "we are completely cut off" or "we are dismembered," suggesting that their individual lives, their tribal connections, and their collective destiny had been irrevocably taken away. It encapsulates their belief that their national existence had been terminated, leaving them as scattered, isolated fragments with no collective future.
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 37:11 is profoundly rich in Symbolism, where the "dry bones" serve as a potent and visceral representation of the spiritual and national condition of the exiled house of Israel. The extreme desiccation of the bones symbolizes the utter lifelessness, despair, and perceived finality of their situation, emphasizing that their hope was not just diminished but completely extinguished. The verse also employs striking Personification as the bones are given a voice, lamenting, "Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts." This literary device powerfully conveys the collective anguish and hopelessness of the Israelite people, making their despair palpable and immediate, as if the very remnants of their national body were crying out. Furthermore, the explicit divine interpretation acts as a form of Allegory, where the entire vision is a narrative designed by God Himself to convey a deeper, spiritual truth about Israel's desperate condition and, ultimately, God's redemptive plan for their future.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Ezekiel 37:11 profoundly illustrates the depth of human despair when faced with seemingly insurmountable circumstances, particularly when those circumstances involve the apparent failure of divine promises and the loss of a foundational identity. It highlights the theological truth that true hopelessness stems not merely from external conditions but from a perceived abandonment by God and the disintegration of covenant identity. Yet, precisely at this point of utter desolation, God intervenes, demonstrating that His power to restore is not limited by the extent of human despair or even by the finality of death itself. This verse sets the stage for the miraculous act of re-creation, underscoring God's absolute sovereignty over life and death, and His unwavering commitment to His covenant people, even when they have lost all hope in themselves. It foreshadows the New Covenant promise of spiritual regeneration, where God breathes new life into spiritually dead hearts, revealing a God who specializes in resurrection.
Reflection and Application
Ezekiel 37:11 speaks powerfully to the universal human experience of profound despair, whether on a personal, communal, or even national level. It reminds us that there are moments in life when we feel utterly "dried up," "cut off," and devoid of hope, much like the exiled Israelites. These feelings can stem from deep personal loss, repeated failures, chronic illness, spiritual barrenness, or a sense of being disconnected from purpose and community. The verse validates this raw human experience, showing that God sees, acknowledges, and even gives voice to our deepest laments. Critically, it also serves as a crucial pivot point, setting the stage for God's miraculous intervention. Just as God did not leave Israel in their state of despair but promised to breathe new life into them, this passage encourages us to remember that no situation, no matter how dire or seemingly final, is beyond God's power to resurrect and restore. Our ultimate hope is not found in our circumstances, our resilience, or our own strength, but in the sovereign, life-giving power of God, who specializes in bringing beauty from ashes, life from death, and hope where none seems to exist. It calls us to voice our despair honestly to God, yet simultaneously to anticipate and trust in His redemptive work, even when it seems utterly impossible from a human perspective.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of God explicitly identifying the bones as "the whole house of Israel"?
The explicit identification in Ezekiel 37:11 is critically significant because it removes any ambiguity about the vision's meaning, transforming it from a general metaphor into a precise divine diagnosis. It confirms that the "dry bones" are not merely a vague symbol for death or despair, but a direct and accurate representation of the spiritual, national, and existential condition of the Israelite people during their Babylonian exile. This direct interpretation underscores that God is fully aware of their deep despair and their perception of being utterly cut off from their heritage and future. It also grounds the subsequent promise of restoration in the concrete reality of Israel's history and future, making God's promise of re-gathering and re-animating His people a literal, national, and spiritual reality, rather than just a vague hope or a general theological principle.
How does the phrase "cut off for our parts" reflect the exiles' understanding of their situation?
The phrase "cut off for our parts" (KJV) or "we are completely cut off" (NIV) profoundly expresses the exiles' sense of utter finality, fragmentation, and national annihilation. The Hebrew word gâzar (H1504) means "to cut down or off," "to divide," or "to exclude." For the Israelites in exile, this meant they felt irrevocably severed from their land, their Temple, their covenant relationship with God, and their identity as a unified nation. They believed their "parts"—their individual lives, their tribal connections, their national heritage, and their collective destiny—had been permanently separated and scattered, leaving them without cohesion or any hope of reassembly. It was a lament of national death, a belief that their story as God's chosen people had definitively ended, leaving them as mere dismembered fragments.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Ezekiel 37:11, while depicting the profound despair of ancient Israel in exile, finds its ultimate and most glorious Christ-centered fulfillment in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ and the spiritual regeneration offered through the New Covenant. The "dried bones" of Israel, seemingly beyond any natural hope of revival, powerfully prefigure humanity's universal spiritual death in sin, a state where hope is truly lost and we are inherently "cut off" from God, as described in Ephesians 2:1-3. Just as God breathed life into the lifeless bones, Christ's triumphant resurrection from the dead (Romans 8:11) demonstrates God's ultimate and decisive victory over death, sin, and despair. Through faith in Him, those who are spiritually dead are given new life, receiving a "new heart and a new spirit" (Ezekiel 36:26, profoundly fulfilled in John 3:5-8). The promised re-gathering of the "whole house of Israel" foreshadows the spiritual re-gathering of all believers, both Jew and Gentile, into the one unified body of Christ, the Church (Ephesians 2:14-16). Thus, the despair of the dry bones is ultimately overcome by the life-giving Spirit of Christ, who transforms spiritual death into vibrant, eternal life, making all things new (Revelation 21:5).