Ezekiel 37:1-14

The Valley of Dry Bones

1 The hand of the Lord was on me, and He brought me out by His Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones.

2 He led me all around them. There were a great many of them on the surface of the valley, and they were very dry.

3 Then He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I replied, "Lord God , [only] You know."

4 He said to me, "Prophesy concerning these bones and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!

5 This is what the Lord God says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live.

6 I will put tendons on you, make flesh grow on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you so that you come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded. While I was prophesying,^[a] there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.

8 As I looked, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

9 He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath,^[b] prophesy, son of man. Say to it: This is what the Lord God says: Breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain so that they may live!"

10 So I prophesied as He commanded me; the breath^[c] entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.

11 Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look how they say: Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.

12 Therefore, prophesy and say to them: This is what the Lord God says: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them, My people, and lead you into the land of Israel.

13 You will know that I am the Lord, My people, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.

14 I will put My Spirit in you,^[d] and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I have spoken, and I will do [it]." [This is] the declaration of the Lord.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Ezk 11:13
• [b] Or wind, or spirit
• [c] Or wind, or spirit
• [d] Ezk 36:27; 39:29