Ezekiel 37:1-10

Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones

1 The ¹hand of the LORD was upon me, and He ²brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the ³valley; 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, ⁴can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, ⁵You know."

4 Again He said to me, "⁶Prophesy over these bones and say to them, 'O dry bones, ⁷hear the word of the LORD.'

5 "Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, 'Behold, I will cause ⁸breath to enter you that you may come to life.

6 'I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will ⁹know that I am the LORD.' "

7 So I prophesied ¹⁰as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

8 And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered * them; but there was no breath in them.

9 Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and ¹¹breathe on these slain, that they ¹²come to life.""'

10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the ¹³breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an ¹⁴exceedingly great army.

Ezekiel 37:1-10 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.

Cross References

• 1. Ezekiel 1:3; Ezekiel 33:22; Ezekiel 40:1
• 2. Ezekiel 8:3; Ezekiel 11:24; Ezekiel 43:5; Acts 8:39
• 3. Jer 7:32-8:2
• 4. Ezekiel 26:19
• 5. Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6
• 6. Ezekiel 37:9, 12
• 7. Jeremiah 22:29; Ezekiel 36:1
• 8. Genesis 2:7; Psalms 104:29, 30; Ezek 37:9, 10, 14
• 9. Isaiah 49:23; Ezekiel 35:9; Ezekiel 38:23; Ezekiel 39:6; Joel 2:27; Joel 3:17
• 10. Jeremiah 13:5-7
• 11. Psalms 104:30
• 12. Hosea 13:14
• 13. Revelation 11:11
• 14. Jeremiah 30:19; Jeremiah 33:22

Footnotes

• [a] Or "in"
• [b] Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch
• [c] Or "spirit," and so throughout the ch
• [d] Lit "voice;" or "thunder"