Ezekiel 37:3

3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”

Ezekiel 37:3 in Other Translations

3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

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

3 Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?” “O Sovereign LORD,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”

3 He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "Master God, only you know that."

3 Then He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I replied, "Lord God , [only] 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 the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.

2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.

3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!

5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 32:39; S 1 Samuel 2:6; Isaiah 26:19; 1 Corinthians 15:35