Ezekiel 37:18

18 “When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you tell us what you mean by this?’

Ezekiel 37:18 in Other Translations

18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?

18 And when your people say to you, 'Will you not tell us what you mean by these?'

18 When your people ask you what your actions mean,

18 "When your people ask you, 'Are you going to tell us what you're doing?'

18 When your people ask you: Won't you explain to us what you mean by these things?-

Ezekiel 37:18 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 37:18

And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee,
saying
The children of Israel and Judah in captivity, of which people Ezekiel was and to whom he was sent as a prophet; who seeing him take two sticks, and write on them, and then join them together, would naturally put such a question to him: wilt thou not show us what thou meanest by these?
for they concluded he had some meaning in it, and that it was not a mere childish diversion and amusement; and therefore would desire that he would let them know what it was: whether they would ask this seriously or in banter, out of curiosity or in contempt, as they sometimes did; it matters not, he was to give them an answer, as follows; though, by the manner of their putting the question, it looks as if they were doubtful whether he would or not; since they had treated him in a sneering way on such like occasions before.

Ezekiel 37:18 In-Context

16 “Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, ‘Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, ‘Belonging to Joseph (that is, to Ephraim) and all the Israelites associated with him.’

17 Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand.

18 “When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you tell us what you mean by this?’

19 say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in Ephraim’s hand—and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick. I will make them into a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.’

20 Hold before their eyes the sticks you have written on

Cross References

• 1. S Ezekiel 24:19