Ezekiel 37:11-21

11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’

12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

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

14 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 have done it, declares the LORD.’ ”

One Nation Under One King

15 The word of the LORD came to me:

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

21 and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land.

Ezekiel 37:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 37

This chapter contains a prophecy of the Jews' return from captivity to their own land; of the union of the each tribes with one another; and of the glorious kingdom of Christ among them. Their restoration is represented by a vision of dry bones made alive; the place in which they were; the condition they were in; and the manner in which they were made to live, are described, Eze 37:1-10, the explication and application of this vision to the Jews, Eze 37:11-14, their union is signified by a sign or emblem of two sticks, which became one in the hand of the prophet, Eze 37:15-17, the meaning of this is shown, Eze 37:18-20, then follow promises of their return to their own land, in express words; of their being one kingdom, under one King, Christ, the antitype of David, of their sanctification; of their covenant interest in God, made manifest to them; and of his presence, and dwelling among them, Eze 37:21-28.

Cross References

• 1. S Job 17:15; S Lamentations 3:54
• 2. ver 21; Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6; Isaiah 26:19; Jeremiah 29:14; Hosea 13:14; Amos 9:14-15; Zephaniah 3:20; Zechariah 8:8
• 3. S Exodus 6:2
• 4. S Ezekiel 17:24; Hosea 13:14
• 5. S ver 9; S Isaiah 11:2; Joel 2:28-29
• 6. S Jeremiah 43:2
• 7. Eze 36:27-28,36; Revelation 11:11
• 8. S 1 Kings 12:20; 2 Chronicles 10:17-19
• 9. Numbers 17:2-3; 2 Chronicles 15:9
• 10. ver 24; Isaiah 11:13; S Jeremiah 50:4; Hosea 1:11
• 11. S Ezekiel 24:19
• 12. Zechariah 10:6
• 13. S ver 12; S Isaiah 43:5-6; S Ezekiel 20:42; Ezekiel 36:24; Ezekiel 39:27; Micah 4:6