---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Ezekiel 37"
description: "CHAPTER 37   :-. THE VISION
OF DRY BONES
REVIVIFIED, SYMBOLIZING
ISRAEL"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/ezekiel/37"
---

CHAPTER 37

. THE VISION
OF DRY BONES
REVIVIFIED, SYMBOLIZING
ISRAEL'S DEATH
AND RESURRECTION.
Three stages in Israel's revival
present themselves to the prophet's eye. (1) The new awakening of the
people, the resurrection of the dead (). (2) The reunion of the formerly hostile members of the
community, whose contentions had affected the whole (). (3) The community thus restored is strong enough to
withstand the assault of Gog, &c. () [EWALD].

**1. carried . . . in the spirit**—The
matters transacted, therefore, were not literal, but in vision.
**the valley**—probably
that by the Chebar ([Ezekiel 3:22](../../../kjv/ezekiel/3/22)).
The valley represents Mesopotamia, the scene of Israel's sojourn in
her state of national deadness.

**2. dry**—bleached by long
exposure to the atmosphere.

**3. can these bones live? . . . thou
knowest**—implying that, humanly speaking, they could not; but
faith leaves the question of possibility to rest with God, with whom
nothing is impossible ([Deuteronomy 32:39](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/32/39)).
An image of Christian faith which believes in the coming general
resurrection of the dead, in spite of all appearances against it,
because God has said it ([John 5:21](../../../kjv/john/5/21);
[Romans 4:17](../../../kjv/romans/4/17); [2 Corinthians 1:9](../../../kjv/2-corinthians/1/9)).

**4. Prophesy**—Proclaim God's
quickening word to them. On account of this innate power of the
divine word to effect its end, prophets are said to *do* that
which they *prophesy as about to be done* ().

**5. I . . . cause breath to enter
into you**—So [Isaiah 26:19](../../../kjv/isaiah/26/19),
containing the same vision, refers *primarily* to Israel's
restoration. Compare as to God's renovation of the earth and all its
creatures hereafter by His breath, [Isaiah 26:19](../../../kjv/isaiah/26/19).
**ye shall live**—come to
life *again.*

**6. ye shall know that I am the
Lord**—by the actual proof of My divinity which I will give in
reviving Israel.

**7. noise**—of the bones when
coming in mutual collision. Perhaps referring to the decree of Cyrus,
or the noise of the Jews' exultation at their deliverance and return.
**bones came
together**—literally, "*ye* bones came together";
as in [Jeremiah 49:11](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/11) (*Hebrew*),
"*ye* widows of thine shall trust in Me." The second
person puts the scene vividly before one's eyes, for the whole
resurrection scene is a *prophecy in action* to render more
palpably to the people the prophecy in word ([Jeremiah 49:11](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/11)).

**8.** So far, they were only
cohering in order as unsightly skeletons. The next step, that of
covering them successively with sinews, skin, and flesh, gives them
beauty; but still "no breath" of life in them. This may
imply that Israel hereafter, as at the restoration from Babylon was
the case in part, shall return to Judea unconverted at first ([Zechariah 13:8](../../../kjv/zechariah/13/8);
[Zechariah 13:9](../../../kjv/zechariah/13/9)). Spiritually: a man may
assume all the semblances of spiritual life, yet have none, and so be
dead before God.

**9. wind**—rather, *the spirit*
of life or *life-breath* (*Margin*). For it is distinct
from "the four *winds*" from which it is summoned.
**from the four winds**—implying
that Israel is to be gathered from the four quarters of the earth
([Isaiah 43:5](../../../kjv/isaiah/43/5); [Isaiah 43:6](../../../kjv/isaiah/43/6);
[Jeremiah 31:8](../../../kjv/jeremiah/31/8)), even as they were
"scattered into all the winds" ([Ezekiel 5:10](../../../kjv/ezekiel/5/10);
[Ezekiel 12:14](../../../kjv/ezekiel/12/14); [Ezekiel 17:21](../../../kjv/ezekiel/17/21);
compare [Revelation 7:1](../../../kjv/revelation/7/1); [Revelation 7:4](../../../kjv/revelation/7/4)).

**10.** Such honor God gives to the
divine word, even in the mouth of a man. How much more when in the
mouth of the Son of God! (). Though this chapter does not *directly* prove the
resurrection of the dead, it does so *indirectly;* for it takes
for granted the future fact as one recognized by believing Jews, and
so made the image of their national restoration (so [Isaiah 25:8](../../../kjv/isaiah/25/8);
[Isaiah 26:19](../../../kjv/isaiah/26/19); [Daniel 12:2](../../../kjv/daniel/12/2);
[Hosea 6:2](../../../kjv/hosea/6/2); [Hosea 13:14](../../../kjv/hosea/13/14);
compare *Note,* see on [Hosea 13:14](../../../kjv/hosea/13/14)).

**11. Our bones are dried**— (), explained by "our hope is lost" (); our national state is as hopeless of resuscitation, as
marrowless bones are of reanimation.
**cut off for our parts**—that
is, so far as we are concerned. There is nothing in us to give hope,
like a withered branch "cut off" from a tree, or a limb
from the body.

**12. my people**—in antithesis to
"for our parts" (). The hope that is utterly gone, if looking at *themselves,*
is sure for them in *God,* because He regards them as *His*
people. Their covenant relation to God ensures His not letting death
permanently reign over them. Christ makes the same principle the
ground on which the literal resurrection rests. God had said, "I
am the God of Abraham," c. God, by taking the patriarchs as *His,*
undertook to do for them all that Omnipotence can perform: He, being
the ever living God, is necessarily the God of, not dead, but living
persons, that is, of those whose bodies His covenant love binds Him
to raise again. He can—and because He can—He will—He must
[FAIRBAIRN]. He calls them
"*My* people" when receiving them into favor; but "*thy*
people," in addressing His servant, as if He would put them away
from Him ([Ezekiel 13:17](../../../kjv/ezekiel/13/17); [Ezekiel 33:2](../../../kjv/ezekiel/33/2);
[Exodus 32:7](../../../kjv/exodus/32/7)).
**out of your graves**—out
of your politically dead state, primarily in Babylon, finally
hereafter in all lands (compare [Ezekiel 6:8](../../../kjv/ezekiel/6/8);
[Hosea 13:14](../../../kjv/hosea/13/14)). The Jews regarded the
lands of their captivity and dispersion as their "graves";
their restoration was to be as "life from the dead" ([Hosea 13:14](../../../kjv/hosea/13/14)). Before, the bones were in the open plain ([Ezekiel 37:1](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/1);
[Ezekiel 37:2](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/2)); now, in the graves,
that is, some of the Jews were in the graves of actual captivity,
others at large but dispersed. Both alike were nationally dead.

**16. stick**—alluding to , the tribal rod. The union of the two rods was a prophecy in
action of the brotherly union which is to reunite the ten tribes and
Judah. As their severance under Jeroboam was fraught with the
greatest evil to the covenant-people, so the first result of both
being joined by the spirit of life to God is that they become joined
to one another under the one covenant King, Messiah-David.
**Judah, and . . . children of
Israel his companions**—that is, Judah and, besides Benjamin and
Levi, those who had joined themselves to him of Ephraim, Manasseh,
Simeon, Asher, Zebulun, Issachar, as having the temple and lawful
priesthood in his borders ([2 Chronicles 11:12](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/11/12);
[2 Chronicles 11:13](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/11/13); [2 Chronicles 11:16](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/11/16);
[2 Chronicles 15:9](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/15/9); [2 Chronicles 30:11](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/30/11);
[2 Chronicles 30:18](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/30/18)). The latter became
identified with Judah after the carrying away of the ten tribes, and
returned with Judah from Babylon, and so shall be associated with
that tribe at the future restoration.
**For Joseph, the stick of
Ephraim**—Ephraim's posterity took the lead, not only of the
other descendants of Joseph (compare [2 Chronicles 30:18](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/30/18)), but of the ten tribes of Israel. For four hundred years,
during the period of the judges, with Manasseh and Benjamin, its
dependent tribes, it had formerly taken the lead: Shiloh was its
religious capital; Shechem, its civil capital. God had transferred
the birthright from Reuben (for dishonoring his father's bed) to
Joseph, whose representative, Ephraim, though the younger, was made
([Genesis 48:19](../../../kjv/genesis/48/19); [1 Chronicles 5:1](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/1)).
From its pre-eminence "Israel" is attached to it as
"companions." The "all" in this case, not in that
of Judah, which has only attached as "companions" "the
children of Israel" (that is, some of them, namely, those who
followed the fortunes of Judah), implies that the *bulk* of the
ten tribes did not return at the restoration from Babylon, but are
distinct from Judah, until the coming union with it at the
restoration.

**18.** God does not explain the
symbolical prophecy until the Jews have been stimulated by the type
to consult the prophet.

**19.** The union effected at the
restoration from Babylon embraced but comparatively few of Israel; a
future complete fulfilment must therefore be looked for.
**stick of Joseph . . . in the
hand of Ephraim**—Ephraim, of the descendants of Joseph, had
exercised the rule among the ten tribes: that rule, symbolized by the
"stick," was now to be withdrawn from him, and to be made
one with the other, Judah's rule, in God's hand.
**them**—the "*stick*
of Joseph," would strictly require "it"; but Ezekiel
expresses the sense, namely, the ten tribes who were subject to it.
**with him**—that is,
Judah; or "it," that is, the stick of Judah.

**22. one nation**— ([Isaiah 11:13](../../../kjv/isaiah/11/13);
[Jeremiah 3:18](../../../kjv/jeremiah/3/18); [Hosea 1:11](../../../kjv/hosea/1/11)).
**one king**—not
Zerubbabel, who was not a king either in fact or name, and who ruled
over but a few Jews, and that only for a few years; whereas the King
here reigns for ever. MESSIAH
is meant ([Ezekiel 34:23](../../../kjv/ezekiel/34/23); [Ezekiel 34:24](../../../kjv/ezekiel/34/24)).
The union of Judah and Israel under King Messiah symbolizes the union
of Jews and Gentiles under Him, partly now, perfectly hereafter
([Ezekiel 37:24](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/24); [John 10:16](../../../kjv/john/10/16)).

**23.** ().
**out of . . . their
dwelling-places**— ([Ezekiel 36:28](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/28);
[Ezekiel 36:33](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/33)). I will remove them
from the scene of their idolatries to dwell in their own land, and to
serve idols no more.

**24. David**—Messiah (See on ).

**25. for ever**— ([Isaiah 60:21](../../../kjv/isaiah/60/21);
[Joel 3:20](../../../kjv/joel/3/20); [Amos 9:15](../../../kjv/amos/9/15)).

**26. covenant of peace**—better
than the old legal covenant, because an unchangeable covenant of
grace ([Ezekiel 34:25](../../../kjv/ezekiel/34/25); [Isaiah 55:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/55/3);
[Jeremiah 32:40](../../../kjv/jeremiah/32/40)).
**I will place them**—set
them in an established position; no longer unsettled as heretofore.
**my sanctuary**—the temple
of God; spiritual in the heart of all true followers of Messiah ([Jeremiah 32:40](../../../kjv/jeremiah/32/40)); and, in some literal sense, in the restored Israel ([Jeremiah 32:40](../../../kjv/jeremiah/32/40)).

**27. My tabernacle . . . with them**—as
foretold ([Genesis 9:27](../../../kjv/genesis/9/27)); [Genesis 9:27](../../../kjv/genesis/9/27), "The Word . . . *dwelt* among us"
(literally, "tabernacled"); first, in humiliation;
hereafter, in manifested glory ([Genesis 9:27](../../../kjv/genesis/9/27)).

**28.** ().
**sanctify Israel**—set it
apart as holy unto Myself and inviolable ([Exodus 19:5](../../../kjv/exodus/19/5);
[Exodus 19:6](../../../kjv/exodus/19/6)).

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