Ezekiel 37:3

3 He said to me, "Son of man, ¹can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, ²You 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 upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones.

2 He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry.

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

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

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

Cross References

• 1. Ezekiel 26:19
• 2. Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch