Ezekiel 37:3-13

3 He said to me, "Son of man, ¹can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, ²You know."

4 Again He said to me, "³Prophesy over these bones and say to them, 'O dry bones, ⁴hear the word of the LORD.'

5 "Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, 'Behold, I will cause ⁵breath to enter you that you may come to life.

6 'I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will ⁶know that I am the LORD.' "

7 So I prophesied ⁷as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

8 And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered * them; but there was no breath in them.

9 Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and ⁸breathe on these slain, that they ⁹come to life.""'

10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the ¹⁰breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an ¹¹exceedingly great army.

The Vision Explained

11 Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the ¹²whole house of Israel; behold, they say, 'Our ¹³bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely ¹⁴cut off.'

12 "Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will open your graves and ¹⁵cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

13 "Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people.

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Ezekiel 37:3-13 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 15

1. Ezekiel 26:19
2. Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6
3. Ezekiel 37:9, 12
4. Jeremiah 22:29; Ezekiel 36:1
5. Genesis 2:7; Psalms 104:29, 30; Ezek 37:9, 10, 14
6. Isaiah 49:23; Ezekiel 35:9; Ezekiel 38:23; Ezekiel 39:6; Joel 2:27; Joel 3:17
7. Jeremiah 13:5-7
8. Psalms 104:30
9. Hosea 13:14
10. Revelation 11:11
11. Jeremiah 30:19; Jeremiah 33:22
12. Jeremiah 33:24; Ezekiel 36:10; Ezekiel 39:25
13. Psalms 141:7
14. Psalms 88:5; Lamentations 3:54
15. Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6; Isaiah 26:19; Isaiah 66:14; Hosea 13:14

Footnotes 4

[a]. Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch
[b]. Or "spirit," and so throughout the ch
[c]. Lit "voice;" or "thunder"
[d]. Lit "cut off to ourselves"