--- title: "Clarke" description: "Verse Ezekiel 37:1. The hand of the Lord was upon me — The prophetic influence was communicated. And carried me out in the spirit — Or, And the Lord broug" image: "/images/missing.jpg" url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel/37" --- Verse [Ezekiel 37:1](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/1). ***The hand of the Lord was upon me*** — The prophetic influence was communicated. ***And carried me out in the spirit*** — Or, And the Lord brought me out in the spirit; that is, a spiritual vision, in which all these things were doubtless transacted. ***The valley which*****was*****full of bones*** — This vision of the *dry bones* was designed, *first*, as an emblem of the then *wretched* state of the Jews; *secondly*, of the general resurrection of the body. Verse [Ezekiel 37:3](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/3). ***Can these bones live?*** — Is it possible that the persons whose bones these are can return to life? Verse [Ezekiel 37:4](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/4). ***Prophesy upon these bones*** —; Declare to your miserable countrymen the gracious designs of the Lord; show them that their state, however deplorable, is not hopeless. Verse [Ezekiel 37:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/5). ***Behold, I will cause breath*** — רוח *ruach* signifies both *soul, breath*, and *wind*; and sometimes the *Spirit of God*. *Soul* is its proper meaning in this vision, where it refers to the bones: "I will cause the SOUL to enter into you." Verse [Ezekiel 37:6](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/6). ***I will lay sinews upon you*** — Observe the progress: 1. Here are the *bones*. 2. The *ligaments*, called here *sinews*, are to be added in order to *unite* the bones, that the *skeleton* might be complete. 3. The *flesh* (the whole *muscular system*, the *subjacent* and *superjacent muscles*, including the *arterial* and *venous* *system*) clothes this skeleton. 4. The *skin* (the *dermis* and *epidermis*, or *cutis* and *cuticle*) envelopes the whole of these muscles or flesh; and now these bodies are in the state that the body of Adam was before it received the animal and intellectual principle from God. 5. *There was no breath in them*-they had not yet received their *souls*. 6. The *wind*, רוח ruach, the *soul,* came into them. They were endued with animal and intellectual life; and they *arose* and evidenced a complete restoration to life, and began to perform its functions, [Ezekiel 37:10](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/10). Verse [Ezekiel 37:9](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/9). ***Prophesy unto the wind*** — רוח *ruach*. Address thyself to the *soul*, and command it to enter into these well-organized bodies, that they may live. ***Come from the four winds*** — SOULS, *come from all parts* where ye are scattered; and reanimate these bodies from; which ye have been so long separated. The *four winds* signify *all parts* - in *every* *direction*. Literally it is, "Souls, come from the four souls;" "Breath, come from the four breaths;" or, "Wind, come from the four winds." But here *ruach* has both of its most general meanings, *wind* or *breath*, and *soul*. Verse [Ezekiel 37:11](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/11). ***These bones are the whole house of Israel*** — That is, their state is represented by *these bones*; and their restoration to their own land is represented by the *revivification* of these bones. Verse [Ezekiel 37:12](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/12). ***I will open your graves*** — Here is a pointed allusion to the *general resurrection*; a doctrine properly credited and understood by the Jews, and to which our Lord refers, [John 5:25](../../../kjv/john/5/25); [John 5:28-29](../../../kjv/john/5/28-29): "The hour is coming when they that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and come forth." ***And cause you to come up out of your graves*** — I am determined that ye shall be restored; so that were ye even *in your graves*, as mankind at the general resurrection, yet my all-powerful *voice* shall *call you forth*. Verse [Ezekiel 37:13](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/13). ***When I have opened your graves*** — When I shall have done for you what was *beyond* your *hope*, and deemed *impossible*, then shall ye know that I am *Jehovah*. Verse [Ezekiel 37:14](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/14). ***And shall put my Spirit*** — רוחי *ruchi*. Here רוח *ruach* is taken for the *Holy Ghost*. They were *living souls,* *animal* and *intellectual beings*, when they had received their souls, as mentioned above: but they could only become *spiritual,* *holy*, and *obedient* creatures by the *Spirit of God* actuating *their spirits*. See the notes on [Ezekiel 36:25-27](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/25-27). THREE *degrees* or *processes* have been remarked in this mystic vision. When the prophet was commanded to *prophesy*-to foretell, on the authority of God, that there should be a restoration to their own land,- 1. There was a *noise*, which was followed by a general *shaking*, during which the *bones* became arranged and united. 2. The *flesh* and *skin* came upon them, so that the *dry bones* were no longer seen. 3. The *spirit* or *soul* came into them, and they *stood up* perfectly vivified. Perhaps these might be illustrated by *three* periods of time, which marked the *regeneration* of the *Jewish polity*. 1. The *publication* of the *edict of Cyrus* in behalf of the Jews, which caused a *general shaking* or *stir* among the people, so that the *several families* began to *approach each other*. and prepare for their return to Judea, [Ezra 1:2-3](../../../kjv/ezra/1/2-3). But though partially restored, they were obliged to discontinue the rebuilding of their temple. 2. The *edict* published by *Darius* in the *second* year of his reign, [Ezra 4:23-24](../../../kjv/ezra/4/23-24), which removed the impediments thrown in the way of the Jews. [Ezra 6:6-7](../../../kjv/ezra/6/6-7), c. 3. The *mission of Nehemiah*, with orders from Artaxerxes to complete the building of the temple and the city, [Nehemiah 2:7](../../../kjv/nehemiah/2/7), &c. Then the Jews *became a great army*, and found themselves in sufficient force to defend themselves and city against all their enemies. As to the *spiritual uses* of this curious vision, I must leave them to preachers. I have given the *literal* meaning, and what the different parts refer to and if they found their observations on these, they may profit their hearers. Verse [Ezekiel 37:16](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/16). ***Son of man, take thee one stick*** — The *two sticks* mentioned in this symbolical transaction represented, as the text declares, the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah, which vere formed in the days of Rehoboam, and continued distinct till the time of the captivity. The kingdom of *Judah* was composed of the tribes of *Judah* and *Benjamin*, with the *Levites*; all the rest went off in the schism with Jeroboam, and formed the kingdom of Israel. Though some out of those tribes did rejoin themselves to Judah, yet no *whole tribe* ever returned to that kingdom. Common sufferings in their captivity became the means of reviving a kinder feeling; and to encourage this, God promises that he will reunite them, and restore them to their own land; and that there shall no more be any divisions or feuds among them. To represent this in such a way as would make it a subject of *thought, reflection*, and *inquiry*, the prophet is ordered to take the *two sticks* mentioned above, to *write on them* the distinguishing names of the divided kingdoms, and then by a *notch, dovetail, glue*, or some such method, to unite them both before the people. He did so, and on their inquiry, showed them the full meaning of this symbolical action. Verse [Ezekiel 37:19](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/19). ***The stick of Joseph, which*****is*****in the hand of Ephraim*** — Jeroboam, the first king of the ten tribes, was an *Ephraimite*. *Joseph* represents the ten tribes in general; they were in the hand of *Ephraim*, that is, *under the government of Jeroboam*. Verse [Ezekiel 37:22](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/22). ***I will make them one nation*** — There was no distinction after the return from Babylon. ***And one king shall be king to them all*** — Politically speaking they never had a *king* from that day to this; and the grand junction and government spoken of here must refer to another time - to that in which they shall be brought into the Christian Church with the fulness of the Gentiles; when JESUS, the *King of* *kings* and *Lord of lords*, shall rule over all. Verse [Ezekiel 37:24](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/24). ***And David my servant*****shall be*****King*** — That this refers to *Jesus Christ*, see proved, [Ezekiel 34:23](../../../kjv/ezekiel/34/23). Verse [Ezekiel 37:25](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/25). ***The land that I have given unto Jacob my servant*** — Jacob means here the *twelve tribes*; and the *land given to them* was the whole land of *Palestine*; consequently, the promise states that, when they return, they are to possess the whole of the *Promised Land*. Verse [Ezekiel 37:26](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/26). ***Covenant of peace*** — See this explained [Ezekiel 34:25](../../../kjv/ezekiel/34/25). Verse [Ezekiel 37:27](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/27). ***My tabernacle*** — Jesus Christ, the true tabernacle, in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel/37#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","width":640,"height":370,"caption":"Clarke's Commentary - Ezekiel 37"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel/37#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel/37","name":"Clarke's Commentary - Ezekiel 37","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel/37#primaryimage"},"datePublished":null,"dateModified":null,"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"Verse Ezekiel 37:1. The hand of the Lord was upon me — The prophetic influence was communicated. And carried me out in the spirit — Or, And the Lord broug","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel/37#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel/37"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel/37#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","name":"Commentaries"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary","name":"Clarke's Commentary"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel","name":"Ezekiel"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel/37","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel/37","name":"37"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]} ```