Ezekiel 37:2-12

2 and he led me about by them in compass. Forsooth those were full many on the face of the field, and dry greatly. (and he led me about all around them. And they were a great many on the face of the field, and they were all dried up.)

3 And he said to me, Guessest thou, son of man, whether these bones shall live? And I said, Lord God, thou knowest.

4 And he said to me, Prophesy thou of these bones (Prophesy thou over these bones/Prophesy thou to these bones); and thou shalt say to them, Ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.

5 The Lord God saith these things to these bones, Lo! I shall send into you a spirit, and ye shall live. (The Lord God saith these things to these bones, Lo! I shall send breath into you, and ye shall live.)

6 And I shall give sinews on you, and I shall make fleshes to wax on you, and I shall stretch forth above skin in you, and I shall give a spirit to you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know, that I am the Lord. (And I shall make sinews upon you, and I shall make flesh to grow upon you, and I shall stretch forth skin over you, and I shall give breath to you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know, that I am the Lord.)

7 And I prophesied, as he commanded to me; forsooth a sound was made, while I prophesied, and lo! a stirring together, and bones came to bones, each to his jointure (each one to its joint, or to its joining).

8 And I saw, and lo! sinews and fleshes waxed upon those, and skin was stretched forth above in them, and those had no spirit. (And I saw, and lo! sinews and flesh grew upon them, and skin was stretched forth over them, but they had no breath.)

9 And he said to me, Prophesy thou to the spirit, prophesy thou, son of man; and thou shalt say to the spirit, The Lord God saith these things, Come, thou spirit, from four winds, and blow thou on these slain men, and live they again. (And he said to me, Prophesy thou to the wind, prophesy thou, son of man; and thou shalt say to the wind, The Lord God saith these things, Come, thou wind, from the four winds, and breathe thou into these slain, so that they can live again.)

10 And I prophesied, as he commanded to me; and the spirit entered into those bones, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a full great host. (And I prophesied, as he commanded me; and breath entered into those bones, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, yea, a very great army.)

11 And the Lord said to me, Thou, son of man, all these bones is the house of Israel; they say, Our bones dried, and our hope perished, and we be cut away. (And the Lord said to me, Thou, son of man, all these bones be the house of Israel; lo! they say, Our bones have dried up, and our hope hath perished, and we be cut off.)

12 Therefore prophesy thou, and thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things, Lo! I shall open your graves, and I shall lead you out of your sepulchres, my people (and I shall lead you out of your tombs, or out your graves, my people), and I shall lead you into your land [of] Israel.

Ezekiel 37:2-12 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.