New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Ezekiel 37
1
The Lord put his strong hand on me. His Spirit brought me away from my home. He put me down in the middle of a valley. It was full of bones.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 8:2
References Lord
Ezekiel 3:22
Ezekiel 1:3
Ezekiel 33:22
Ezekiel 40:1
Jeremiah 7:32
Spirit
Acts 8:39
Ezekiel 8:3
Revelation 1:10
Ezekiel 11:24
2
He led me back and forth among them. I saw a huge number of bones in the valley. The bones were very dry.
Reference
3
The Lord asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "Lord and King, you are the only one who knows."
Reference
Parallel theme
John 5:21
References God
Deuteronomy 32:39
Romans 4:17
Hebrews 11:19
Acts 26:8
References Lord
1 Samuel 2:6
4
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones. Tell them, 'Dry bones, listen to the Lord's message.
Reference
5
The Lord and King speaks to you. He says, "I will put breath in you. Then you will come to life again.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 20:22
Ephesians 2:5
Romans 8:2
References God
Genesis 2:7
References Lord
Ezekiel 37:14
6
I will attach tendons to you. I will put flesh on you. I will cover you with skin. So I will put breath in you. And you will come to life again. Then you will know that I am the Lord." ' "
Reference
7
So I prophesied just as the Lord commanded me to. As I was prophesying, I heard a noise. It was a rattling sound. The bones came together. One bone connected itself to another.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 2:2
8
I saw tendons and flesh appear on them. Skin covered them. But there was no breath in them.
9
Then the Lord said to me, "Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell it, 'The Lord and King says, "Breath, come from all four directions. Go into these dead bodies. Then they can live." ' "
Reference
Song of Solomon 4:16
Parallel theme
John 3:8
Psalm 104:30
References God
Ezekiel 37:5
References Lord
Ezekiel 37:14
10
So I prophesied just as he commanded me to. And the breath entered them. Then they came to life again. They stood up on their feet. They were like a huge army.
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 11:11
11
Then the Lord said to me, "Son of man, these bones stand for all of the people of Israel. The people say, 'Our bones are dried up. We've lost all hope. We are cut off.'
Reference
Hope
Jeremiah 2:25
Parallel theme
Ephesians 2:1
Isaiah 49:14
Psalm 141:7
References Israel
Ezekiel 39:25
Jeremiah 31:1
Ezekiel 36:10
Hosea 1:11
12
"So prophesy. Tell them, 'The Lord and King says, "My people, I am going to open up your graves. I am going to bring you out of them. I will take you back to the land of Israel.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 26:19
Hosea 13:14
Revelation 20:13
Ezekiel 36:24
Ezekiel 37:25
Hosea 6:2
References God
1 Thessalonians 4:16
Deuteronomy 32:39
Ezekiel 37:21
References Lord
Isaiah 66:14
13
So I will open up your graves and bring you out of them. Then you will know that I am the Lord. You are my people.
Reference
14
I will put my Spirit in you. And you will live again. I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I have spoken. I have done it," announces the Lord.' "
Reference
15
A message came to me from the Lord. He said,
16
"Son of man, get a stick of wood. Write on it, 'Belonging to the tribe of Judah and the Israelites who are connected with it.' Then get another stick. Write on it, 'Ephraim's stick. Belonging to the tribes of Joseph and all of the Israelites connected with them.'
Reference
19
Tell them, 'The Lord and King says, "I am going to get the stick of Joseph and the Israelites connected with it. That stick is in Ephraim's hand. I am going to join it to Judah's stick. They will become a single stick of wood in my hand." '
Reference
20
"Show them the sticks you wrote on.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 12:3
21
Tell them, 'The Lord and King says, "I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them together from all around. I will bring them back to their own land.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 36:24
Isaiah 49:12
Jeremiah 23:3
Jeremiah 32:37
References Israel
Jeremiah 50:19
Ezekiel 34:13
References Lord
Jeremiah 29:14
Jeremiah 23:8
Jeremiah 16:15
Jeremiah 30:3
22
There I will make them one nation. They will live on the mountains of Israel. All of them will have one king. They will never be two nations again. They will never again be separated into two kingdoms.
Reference
23
" ' "They will no longer pollute themselves by worshiping any of their evil gods. They will not do wrong things anymore. They always turn away from me. But I will save them from that sin. I will make them pure and clean. They will be my people. And I will be their God.
Reference
Parallel theme
Hosea 14:8
Isaiah 2:18
Zechariah 14:21
References God
Revelation 21:7
Psalm 68:35
Jeremiah 31:1
Jeremiah 31:33
Salvation
Psalm 68:20
Sin
1 John 1:9
1 John 1:7
24
" ' "A man who belongs to the family line of my servant David will be their king. All of them will have one shepherd. They will follow my laws. And they will be careful to keep my rules.
Reference
Judgment
Jeremiah 23:5
Ezekiel 36:27
Kingdom
Hosea 3:5
Jeremiah 30:9
Parallel theme
Hebrews 13:20
Isaiah 40:11
John 10:11
References David
Ezekiel 37:25
25
They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob. That is where your people lived long ago. They, their children, their children's children, and their children after them will live there forever. And my servant from David's line will be their prince forever.
Reference
26
" ' "I will make a covenant with them. It promises to give them peace. The covenant will last forever. I will make them my people. And I will increase their numbers. I will put my temple among them forever.
Reference
Covenant
Isaiah 55:3
Ezekiel 34:25
Ezekiel 16:62
Jeremiah 32:40
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 30:19
Ezekiel 43:7
Hebrews 6:14
Ezekiel 36:37
Peace
John 14:27
Temple
2 Corinthians 6:16
28
My temple will be among them forever. Then the nations will know that I make Israel holy. I am the Lord." ' "
Reference
Parallel theme
Ephesians 5:26
1 Corinthians 1:30
Psalm 79:10
Romans 11:15
References Lord
Ezekiel 20:12
Exodus 31:13
Ezekiel 36:23
Leviticus 21:8
Psalm 102:15
Psalm 126:2
Summary of Ezekiel 37
Ezekiel 37 presents a powerful vision of Israel's resurrection-like restoration and reunification, beginning with a valley filled with completely dry bones that God transforms into a living army and continuing with two pieces of wood representing Judah and Israel being joined into one people under one Davidic shepherd, while the chapter ultimately promises that God will cleanse His people, place His Spirit within them, restore them to their land, establish a covenant of peace, and dwell permanently among them.
The first half of the chapter centers on the extraordinary vision of the valley of dry bones.
Ezekiel is brought by God's Spirit into a valley filled with bones that are described as very numerous and extremely dry.
The condition of the bones is important because they represent something that appears to have no possibility of recovery.
They are not recently dead bodies.
They are completely dried bones, emphasizing the depth of Israel's hopelessness after conquest and exile.
God then asks Ezekiel a striking question: whether these bones can live.
Ezekiel does not answer confidently based upon what he sees.
Instead, he acknowledges that God alone knows.
The question establishes the central contrast of the vision: human beings see impossibility, while God sees potential for restoration.
God then commands Ezekiel to speak to the bones.
As Ezekiel prophesies, the bones begin coming together, followed by the appearance of tendons, flesh, and skin.
Yet the bodies remain lifeless.
This is an important detail because it shows that restoration requires more than rebuilding an outward structure.
A nation can have land, cities, institutions, and physical bodies and still lack true life.
God therefore commands Ezekiel to call upon the breath, and when the breath enters the bodies, they stand alive as a vast army.
The image recalls the idea of God giving life through breath or Spirit and emphasizes that God alone can transform death into life.
God then explains the meaning of the vision.
The bones represent the whole house of Israel, whose people have reached a point of profound despair and are saying that their hope has disappeared.
They feel like people buried in graves, cut off from their future, identity, homeland, and national existence.
God's response is a promise to open their graves and bring them out.
Although the immediate meaning concerns the restoration of Israel from exile, the language is intentionally powerful and has also contributed to later Jewish and Christian reflection on resurrection and life after death.
The essential message is that the exile will not be the final chapter of Israel's story.
God will restore His people to their land and place His Spirit within them so that they live again.
The second half of the chapter presents another symbolic action, this time using two pieces of wood.
One represents Judah, while the other represents Joseph and Ephraim, representing the northern kingdom of Israel.
For centuries, God's people had been divided into separate kingdoms.
The northern kingdom had been conquered by Assyria, while Judah was later conquered by Babylon.
The political division had therefore become deeply established.
God promises to reverse this division.
The two pieces of wood are joined together until they become one in Ezekiel's hand, symbolizing the reunification of the divided people.
God promises to gather the Israelites from the nations where they have been scattered and bring them back to their own land, but the restoration will involve much more than geographical relocation.
The people will become one nation under one king.
This promise addresses one of the deepest wounds in Israel's history because the restored community will no longer be divided into competing kingdoms.
The chapter then introduces the figure of David as one shepherd.
Because the historical David had lived centuries earlier, this language points toward restored Davidic leadership rather than simply predicting David's literal return.
In Christian interpretation, this promise is commonly understood as pointing ultimately toward the Messiah, the ideal Davidic Shepherd who rules God's reunited people.
Under this shepherd, the people will follow God's commands and live in faithfulness.
This is important because political reunification alone would not solve Israel's deeper spiritual problem.
God therefore promises to cleanse the people from their idolatry and rebellion.
The restoration of Israel will include spiritual transformation.
The people will not simply return to the land with the same attitudes that produced the exile.
They will be cleansed and renewed so that the restored covenant relationship can endure.
The chapter then reaches its climax with the promise of a covenant of peace.
God will make His people secure, multiply them, and place His sanctuary among them.
This is the ultimate goal of restoration.
The land is important.
National unity is important.
A faithful shepherd is important.
But above all these things stands the presence of God Himself.
God declares that His dwelling place will be among His people, meaning that restoration ultimately culminates in God living among His restored community.
The nations will then recognize that the Lord has made Israel holy and that He has faithfully accomplished what He promised.
The central message is that Ezekiel 37 presents Israel's restoration through two powerful images, first showing a valley of completely dry bones being transformed into a living army and then showing two pieces of wood representing the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel being joined into one people, thereby declaring that what appears permanently dead or irreparably divided is not beyond God's power to restore, while God promises to gather His scattered people from the nations, bring them back to their land, place His Spirit within them, cleanse them from idolatry and rebellion, reunite them under one faithful Davidic shepherd, establish a covenant of peace, and place His sanctuary permanently among them, making the chapter a profound declaration that God's restoration involves not merely rebuilding ruined cities or returning exiles to their homeland but bringing life where there was despair, unity where there was division, spiritual renewal where there was rebellion, faithful leadership where there had been failure, and above all the renewed presence of God among His people.
The first half of the chapter centers on the extraordinary vision of the valley of dry bones.
Ezekiel is brought by God's Spirit into a valley filled with bones that are described as very numerous and extremely dry.
The condition of the bones is important because they represent something that appears to have no possibility of recovery.
They are not recently dead bodies.
They are completely dried bones, emphasizing the depth of Israel's hopelessness after conquest and exile.
God then asks Ezekiel a striking question: whether these bones can live.
Ezekiel does not answer confidently based upon what he sees.
Instead, he acknowledges that God alone knows.
The question establishes the central contrast of the vision: human beings see impossibility, while God sees potential for restoration.
God then commands Ezekiel to speak to the bones.
As Ezekiel prophesies, the bones begin coming together, followed by the appearance of tendons, flesh, and skin.
Yet the bodies remain lifeless.
This is an important detail because it shows that restoration requires more than rebuilding an outward structure.
A nation can have land, cities, institutions, and physical bodies and still lack true life.
God therefore commands Ezekiel to call upon the breath, and when the breath enters the bodies, they stand alive as a vast army.
The image recalls the idea of God giving life through breath or Spirit and emphasizes that God alone can transform death into life.
God then explains the meaning of the vision.
The bones represent the whole house of Israel, whose people have reached a point of profound despair and are saying that their hope has disappeared.
They feel like people buried in graves, cut off from their future, identity, homeland, and national existence.
God's response is a promise to open their graves and bring them out.
Although the immediate meaning concerns the restoration of Israel from exile, the language is intentionally powerful and has also contributed to later Jewish and Christian reflection on resurrection and life after death.
The essential message is that the exile will not be the final chapter of Israel's story.
God will restore His people to their land and place His Spirit within them so that they live again.
The second half of the chapter presents another symbolic action, this time using two pieces of wood.
One represents Judah, while the other represents Joseph and Ephraim, representing the northern kingdom of Israel.
For centuries, God's people had been divided into separate kingdoms.
The northern kingdom had been conquered by Assyria, while Judah was later conquered by Babylon.
The political division had therefore become deeply established.
God promises to reverse this division.
The two pieces of wood are joined together until they become one in Ezekiel's hand, symbolizing the reunification of the divided people.
God promises to gather the Israelites from the nations where they have been scattered and bring them back to their own land, but the restoration will involve much more than geographical relocation.
The people will become one nation under one king.
This promise addresses one of the deepest wounds in Israel's history because the restored community will no longer be divided into competing kingdoms.
The chapter then introduces the figure of David as one shepherd.
Because the historical David had lived centuries earlier, this language points toward restored Davidic leadership rather than simply predicting David's literal return.
In Christian interpretation, this promise is commonly understood as pointing ultimately toward the Messiah, the ideal Davidic Shepherd who rules God's reunited people.
Under this shepherd, the people will follow God's commands and live in faithfulness.
This is important because political reunification alone would not solve Israel's deeper spiritual problem.
God therefore promises to cleanse the people from their idolatry and rebellion.
The restoration of Israel will include spiritual transformation.
The people will not simply return to the land with the same attitudes that produced the exile.
They will be cleansed and renewed so that the restored covenant relationship can endure.
The chapter then reaches its climax with the promise of a covenant of peace.
God will make His people secure, multiply them, and place His sanctuary among them.
This is the ultimate goal of restoration.
The land is important.
National unity is important.
A faithful shepherd is important.
But above all these things stands the presence of God Himself.
God declares that His dwelling place will be among His people, meaning that restoration ultimately culminates in God living among His restored community.
The nations will then recognize that the Lord has made Israel holy and that He has faithfully accomplished what He promised.
The central message is that Ezekiel 37 presents Israel's restoration through two powerful images, first showing a valley of completely dry bones being transformed into a living army and then showing two pieces of wood representing the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel being joined into one people, thereby declaring that what appears permanently dead or irreparably divided is not beyond God's power to restore, while God promises to gather His scattered people from the nations, bring them back to their land, place His Spirit within them, cleanse them from idolatry and rebellion, reunite them under one faithful Davidic shepherd, establish a covenant of peace, and place His sanctuary permanently among them, making the chapter a profound declaration that God's restoration involves not merely rebuilding ruined cities or returning exiles to their homeland but bringing life where there was despair, unity where there was division, spiritual renewal where there was rebellion, faithful leadership where there had been failure, and above all the renewed presence of God among His people.