Ezekiel 37

King James Version

Full text for Ezekiel Chapter 37

1¶ The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which [was] full of bones,

2And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, [there were] very many in the open valley; and, lo, [they were] very dry.

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

4Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

5Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

6And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.

7So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

8And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but [there was] no breath in them.

9Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

11Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

12Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

13And ye shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

14And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken [it], and performed [it], saith the LORD.

15¶ The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,

16Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and [for] all the house of Israel his companions:

17And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

18And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou [meanest] by these?

19Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which [is] in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, [even] with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

20And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.

21And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

22And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

23Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

24And David my servant [shall be] king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

25And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, [even] they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David [shall be] their prince for ever.

26Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

27My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

28And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Ezekiel is transported by the Spirit to a valley filled with dry bones, which the Lord commands him to prophesy over. The bones miraculously reassemble, gain flesh, and are then given breath, standing as a great army, symbolizing the restoration of the 'whole house of Israel' from their despair and captivity. Subsequently, Ezekiel is instructed to join two sticks, representing Judah and Joseph, into one, signifying the future reunification of the divided kingdoms of Israel under one king and an everlasting covenant of peace.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with Ezekiel being transported by the Spirit to a valley filled with exceedingly dry bones. The Lord asks if these bones can live, to which Ezekiel defers to God's knowledge. Commanded to prophesy, Ezekiel witnesses the bones reassembling, gaining sinews, flesh, and skin, though initially without breath. A second prophecy brings breath into them, and they stand as a great army. The Lord reveals this vision signifies the 'whole house of Israel,' who feel their hope is lost, promising to resurrect them from their spiritual graves and return them to their land with His Spirit. Subsequently, Ezekiel is instructed to take two sticks, one representing Judah and the other Joseph (Ephraim), and join them into a single stick. This act symbolizes God's promise to gather the scattered Israelites, unite the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel into one nation under one king, identified as 'David,' and establish an everlasting covenant of peace, with His sanctuary permanently among them.

Long Summary

Ezekiel 37 begins with the prophet being carried by the hand of the LORD into a valley teeming with very dry bones. The Lord challenges Ezekiel, asking if these lifeless bones can live, to which Ezekiel responds by acknowledging God's omnipotence. God then commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the dry bones, declaring that He will cause breath to enter them, restoring sinews, flesh, and skin, so they may live and know Him. As Ezekiel prophesies, a great noise and shaking occur, and the bones miraculously come together, forming bodies, yet initially lacking breath. The Lord then instructs Ezekiel to prophesy to the wind, calling for breath to enter these slain bodies. Upon this second prophecy, breath enters them, and they stand up as an exceeding great army. The Lord clarifies that this profound vision represents the 'whole house of Israel,' who perceive themselves as cut off and without hope. He promises to open their 'graves' of captivity, bring them back to the land of Israel, and place His Spirit within them, ensuring their life and their recognition of Him as the LORD. The chapter then transitions to a second prophetic action. Ezekiel is commanded to take two sticks: one inscribed for Judah and his companions, and the other for Joseph (Ephraim) and his companions. He is to join these two sticks into one in his hand. This symbolic act, when questioned by the people, is explained by the Lord as His intention to gather the children of Israel from among the heathen and unite the previously divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel into one nation upon the mountains of Israel. This unified nation will have one king, identified as 'David,' who will be their shepherd and prince forever. They will no longer defile themselves with idols but will be cleansed, walking in God's judgments. The Lord further promises an everlasting covenant of peace, their perpetual dwelling in the land given to Jacob, and the establishment of His sanctuary in their midst forevermore, so that all nations will know that He sanctifies Israel.

Core Concepts

  • Vision of Dry BonesEzekiel is shown a valley of very dry bones, symbolizing the hopeless state of the 'whole house of Israel' in captivity, whose hope is declared lost.
  • Divine RestorationThrough Ezekiel's prophecy, the dry bones are miraculously reassembled, covered with flesh, and given breath, illustrating God's power to bring life and hope back to His people.
  • Spiritual ResurrectionThe reanimation of the bones signifies not only a physical return from captivity but also a spiritual revival, as God promises to put His Spirit within Israel, causing them to live.
  • Reunification of IsraelThe joining of two sticks, representing Judah and Joseph (Ephraim), symbolizes the future gathering and unification of the previously divided kingdoms of Israel into one nation under one king.
  • Everlasting Covenant and KingshipGod promises to establish an everlasting covenant of peace with the unified Israel, placing 'David' as their eternal king and setting His sanctuary among them forever.
  • Cleansing and ObedienceThe restored nation will be cleansed from idolatry and transgression, living in obedience to God's judgments and statutes, no longer defiling themselves.
  • God's Sovereignty and RecognitionThe entire process of restoration and reunification demonstrates God's power and faithfulness, ensuring that both Israel and the heathen will know Him as the LORD who sanctifies His people.