Ezekiel 37:3

3 And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I said, "Lord Yahweh, you know."

Ezekiel 37:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 37:3

And he said unto me, son of man, can these bones live?
&c.] Is there any probability of it? is there any reason to believe they shall live? can any ways and means be devised, or any methods taken, to cause them to live? and I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest;
the prophet does not pronounce at once that it was improbable and impossible; he knew indeed it was not probable, or possible, that these bones should revive of themselves; and he knew that neither he nor any creature could quicken them; but he wisely refers it to an omniscient and omnipotent God, who knew what he could and what he would do: the conversion of sinners is not of themselves, nor of ministers, but of God; it is wholly owing to his will and power, ( John 1:13 ) nothing else can make it probable, or possible.

Ezekiel 37:3 In-Context

1 The hand of Yahweh was upon me, and he brought me by the Spirit of Yahweh, and he {let me rest} in the midst of the valley, and it [was] full of bones.

2 And he led me {all around} over them, and look, very many on the surface of the valley, and look, very dry.

3 And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I said, "Lord Yahweh, you know."

4 And he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and you must say to them, [to] the dry bones, 'Hear the word of Yahweh!

5 Thus says the Lord Yahweh to these bones: "Look! I [am] bringing into you breath, and you will live!

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "mortal," or "son of humankind"