Ezekiel 37:11

KJV

Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

KJV (with Strong's)

Then he said {H559} unto me, Son {H1121} of man {H120}, these bones {H6106} are the whole house {H1004} of Israel {H3478}: behold, they say {H559}, Our bones {H6106} are dried {H3001}, and our hope {H8615} is lost {H6}: we are cut off {H1504} for our parts.

Complete Jewish Bible

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.'

Berean Standard Bible

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.’

American Standard Version

Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.

Commentary

### 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](/ezekiel/37-1-10 "Ezekiel 37:1-10 - Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones"). 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](/psalms/137 "Psalm 137 - By the Rivers of Babylon").
* **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](/ezekiel/36-26 "Ezekiel 36:26 - God's Promise of a New Heart") and to re-establish His covenant with them, as seen in [Ezekiel 34](/ezekiel/34 "Ezekiel 34 - The Shepherds of Israel").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **house (Hebrew, _bayith'_):** H1004. 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.
* **dried (Hebrew, _yâbêsh'_):** H3001. 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.
* **cut off (Hebrew, _gâzar'_):** H1504. 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.

* [Psalm 137:1-4](/psalms/137-1-4 "The Lament of the Exiles by the Rivers of Babylon") - Expresses the deep sorrow, humiliation, and inability to sing the Lord's song in a foreign land, reflecting the profound despair of the exiles.
* [Isaiah 49:14](/isaiah/49-14 "Zion's Lament of Being Forsaken") - "But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me," directly mirroring Israel's feeling of being "cut off" and abandoned by God.
* [Romans 4:17](/romans/4-17 "God Who Gives Life to the Dead and Calls Things into Being") - States that God "calleth those things which be not as though they were" and "gives life to the dead," reflecting His ultimate power to bring life out of nothing and to resurrect, paralleling the reanimation of the dry bones.

### 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
* **In what specific areas of your life do you currently feel "dried up," "cut off," or that your "hope is lost," mirroring the lament of the house of Israel?**
* **How does knowing that God acknowledges and gives explicit voice to Israel's profound despair in this verse impact your understanding of His empathy and presence in your own struggles?**
* **What does this verse, in the broader context of the vision of the dry bones, teach you about the nature of God's power to restore and revive, even from seemingly impossible or terminal situations?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of God explicitly identifying the bones as "the whole house of Israel"?**

Answer: The explicit identification in [Ezekiel 37:11](/ezekiel/37-11 "Ezekiel 37:11 - God Identifies the Dry Bones") 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?**

Answer: 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](/ephesians/2-1-3 "Ephesians 2:1-3 - Dead in Sins and Alienated from God"). Just as God breathed life into the lifeless bones, Christ's triumphant resurrection from the dead (cf. [Romans 8:11](/romans/8-11 "Romans 8:11 - Spirit Gives Life to Mortal Bodies")) 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" (cf. [Ezekiel 36:26](/ezekiel/36-26 "Ezekiel 36:26 - God's Promise of a New Heart"), profoundly fulfilled in [John 3:5-8](/john/3-5-8 "John 3:5-8 - Born of Water and the Spirit")). 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 (cf. [Ephesians 2:14-16](/ephesians/2-14-16 "Ephesians 2:14-16 - Christ Our Peace and Reconciler")). 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 (cf. [Revelation 21:5](/revelation/21-5 "Revelation 21:5 - Behold, I Make All Things New")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Ephesians 2:1

¶ And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Psalms 77:7

Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?

Psalms 77:9

Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.

Ezekiel 39:25

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;

Jeremiah 31:1

¶ At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

Ezekiel 36:10

And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, [even] all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:

Ezekiel 37:1

¶ The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which [was] full of bones,