Ezekiel 37:18

18 "When your people ask you, 'Are you going to tell us what you're doing?'

Ezekiel 37:18 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 37:18

And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee,
saying
The children of Israel and Judah in captivity, of which people Ezekiel was and to whom he was sent as a prophet; who seeing him take two sticks, and write on them, and then join them together, would naturally put such a question to him: wilt thou not show us what thou meanest by these?
for they concluded he had some meaning in it, and that it was not a mere childish diversion and amusement; and therefore would desire that he would let them know what it was: whether they would ask this seriously or in banter, out of curiosity or in contempt, as they sometimes did; it matters not, he was to give them an answer, as follows; though, by the manner of their putting the question, it looks as if they were doubtful whether he would or not; since they had treated him in a sneering way on such like occasions before.

Ezekiel 37:18 In-Context

16 "You, son of man: Take a stick and write on it, 'For Judah, with his Israelite companions.' Then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph - Ephraim's stick, together with all his Israelite companions.'

17 Then tie the two sticks together so that you're holding one stick.

18 "When your people ask you, 'Are you going to tell us what you're doing?'

19 tell them, 'God, the Master, says, Watch me! I'll take the Joseph stick that is in Ephraim's hand, with the tribes of Israel connected with him, and lay the Judah stick on it. I'll make them into one stick. I'm holding one stick.'

20 "Then take the sticks you've inscribed and hold them up so the people can see them.