Ezekiel 37 summary meaning ai explained commentary

Ezekiel 37 meaning explained in AI Summary

This chapter contains two powerful visions given to Ezekiel by God, offering hope and restoration to the Israelites in exile:

1. The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones (Verses 1-14):

Setting: Ezekiel is placed by God in a valley filled with dry bones, symbolizing the hopelessness and lifelessness of the Israelites in exile.
God's Question: God asks Ezekiel if these bones can live again. Ezekiel, unsure, responds that only God knows.
God's Power: God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones, promising them life and restoration. As Ezekiel speaks, the bones come together, flesh and sinews appear, and breath enters them, bringing them back to life as a vast army.
Interpretation: This vision symbolizes God's power to resurrect and restore even what seems dead and hopeless. It assures the Israelites that despite their current state, God can and will bring them back to life and restore their nation.

2. The Vision of the Two Sticks (Verses 15-28):

Symbolic Action: God commands Ezekiel to take two sticks, representing the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, and join them together as one.
Message of Unity: This act symbolizes the future reunification of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah under one king, a descendant of David.
God's Covenant: God promises to make an everlasting covenant of peace with his reunited people. He will dwell among them, establish his sanctuary in their midst, and they will be his people forever.
Significance: This vision offers hope for a future where divisions are healed, and God's people are united under his rule, experiencing his presence and blessings.

Overall, Ezekiel 37 is a message of hope and restoration. It assures the Israelites that even in their despair and exile, God has not forgotten them. He has the power to bring life from death, unity from division, and to fulfill his promises to his people.

Ezekiel 37 bible study ai commentary

Ezekiel 37 presents a powerful and dramatic prophecy of hope for a despairing people. Its central theme is God's sovereign power to bring life from death and unity from division. The chapter unfolds in two distinct but related parts: the visionary resurrection of a valley of dry bones, symbolizing Israel's national restoration from the "death" of exile, and the symbolic joining of two sticks, representing the reunification of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah into one nation under one king, a forever promise sealed by God's presence.

Ezekiel 37 context

The prophecies in Ezekiel 37 were delivered to the Jewish exiles in Babylon around 587-571 BC. Their nation was destroyed, Jerusalem and its Temple were in ruins, and the people were forcibly deported. From their perspective, the Davidic dynasty was finished and God's covenant promises seemed void. This context of profound national trauma, despair, and a sense of finality is crucial. They saw themselves as politically and spiritually "dead," a scattered collection of bones with no hope of becoming a nation again. The vision directly addresses this feeling of utter hopelessness.

Ezekiel 37:1-3

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”

In-depth-analysis

The Hand of the LORD: This phrase signifies divine power and compulsion. Ezekiel is not acting on his own; he is under God's complete control and experiencing a divine revelation.
Spirit of the LORD: The Hebrew word is ruach (רוּחַ). It carries a triple meaning: Spirit, wind, and breath. This word's various meanings are a central thread throughout the chapter. Here, it is the means of prophetic transport.
Valley (בִּקְעָה, biq'ah): This may echo the "plain" where Ezekiel had his initial calling (Ezekiel 3:22-23), linking this restoration vision to his original commission. The scene is one of a vast, unburied army—a sign of a catastrophic defeat and curse in the ancient world (cf. Deut 28:26).
Very Dry: This detail is critical. It signifies that the bones have been there for a long time. There is absolutely no trace of life or any natural hope of restoration.
Can these bones live?: This is the central question. From a human perspective, the answer is no. God asks the question to highlight the impossibility of the situation, making the subsequent miracle all the more powerful.
O Lord GOD, you know: Ezekiel's response is one of humble faith and deference. He acknowledges that the answer lies beyond human capability and understanding, placing the entire possibility in God's hands.

Bible references

Gen 2:7: ...then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life... [God as the originator of life from inanimate matter].
Eze 3:22: And the hand of the Lord was upon me there. And he said to me, “Arise, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you.” [Connecting the location of vision to his call].
John 11:21-27: Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” [Human despair meeting divine power over death].

Cross references

Jer 8:1-2 (unburied bones as judgment); Rev 7:9 (a great multitude which no man could number); Rom 4:17 (God who gives life to the dead); Isa 49:14 (Zion’s lament of being forsaken).

Ezekiel 37:4-6

Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and will cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

In-depth-analysis

Prophesy over these bones: The prophet's role is not just to see but to participate. God's creative power is unleashed through the spoken prophetic word. The Word precedes the action.
Hear the word of the LORD: This is a radical command. Lifeless, inanimate objects are commanded to hear, emphasizing the absolute power of God's Word.
Breath (ruach): The promise of restoration is explicitly linked to God's ruach (breath/Spirit). It is the divine element that imparts true life, not just re-animation.
Know that I am the LORD: This is the ultimate purpose of the miracle. It's a key theme in Ezekiel. God's acts of judgment and salvation are to reveal His own character and power, vindicating His name among His people and the nations.
Anatomical Reversal: The process described (sinews, flesh, skin) is a direct reversal of decay, mirroring the language of creation.

Bible references

John 5:25: Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. [The life-giving power of Christ's word].
Isa 55:11: ...so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose... [The creative efficacy of God's Word].
Eze 36:27: And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes... [Parallel promise of the Spirit in the previous chapter].

Cross references

Psa 104:30 (sending forth the Spirit to create); Jer 31:33 (New Covenant); 2 Tim 3:16 (all Scripture is God-breathed); Heb 4:12 (the word of God is living and active).

Ezekiel 37:7-10

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 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 breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

In-depth-analysis

A Two-Stage Restoration: The process is deliberately depicted in two stages. First, the bodies are reformed (vv. 7-8), but they are lifeless. This distinguishes mere physical reassembly from true, divinely-imparted life.
No breath in them: This pause is dramatic and theologically significant. A nation can be politically reconstituted (bones and flesh) but still be spiritually dead without God's Spirit.
Prophesy to the breath (ruach): The second act of prophesying is to the ruach itself. This highlights that the Spirit, while sovereign, works in concert with God's declared Word.
Come from the four winds: This imagery depicts the Spirit of God as universally powerful, gathering the life-giving force from all corners of the earth to resurrect the people. The word for winds is ruchot, the plural of ruach.
Exceedingly great army: The restoration is not to a weak, fragile state, but to one of power and vitality. This completely reverses the image of a defeated, scattered people.

Bible references

Acts 2:2: And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind... [The coming of the Holy Spirit (pneuma, Greek for ruach) at Pentecost].
Rev 11:11: But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet... [Vision of the two witnesses resurrected].
John 3:8: The wind blows where it wishes... So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. [Jesus connecting the Spirit (pneuma) with the wind].

Cross references

Gen 1:2 (Spirit hovering over the waters); John 20:22 (Jesus breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'); 1 Thess 4:16 (resurrection at the Lord’s return).

Polemics

The two-stage restoration is seen by some scholars as a polemic against views that equate life simply with physical existence. Ezekiel makes it clear that true life for Israel—and by extension, for humanity—is existence infused with God's Spirit. Mere political or physical existence is a hollow shell, like the assembled but breathless bodies.

Ezekiel 37:11-14

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

In-depth-analysis

The Interpretation: God explicitly removes any ambiguity. The vision is not primarily about individual resurrection but about the restoration of the "whole house of Israel."
Our bones are dried up: This quotes the exiles' own words of despair. God shows He has heard their lament and is responding directly to it.
Open your graves: The metaphor shifts from a battlefield to a graveyard. Exile is a grave. This new imagery emphasizes being trapped and buried. God is the one who performs the exodus from this grave.
Threefold Promise: The promise is repeated and clarified:
1. Resurrection: "raise you from your graves" (national restoration from exile).
2. Return: "bring you into the land of Israel" (physical restoration to their home).
3. Re-animation: "put my Spirit in you" (spiritual restoration and true life).
I have spoken, and I will do it: This is a powerful covenant formula of assurance. God's Word is performative; what He declares, He accomplishes. It is the ultimate seal on the promise.

Bible references

Isa 26:19: Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! [Prophetic promise of resurrection].
Dan 12:2: And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake... [Clear OT prophecy of individual bodily resurrection].
Eph 2:1, 5: And you were dead in the trespasses and sins... even when we were dead in our trespasses, [God] made us alive together with Christ... [NT application of spiritual death and resurrection].

Cross references

Hos 6:2 (After two days he will revive us); Hos 13:14 (I will ransom them from the power of Sheol); Isa 40:1-2 (comfort and speaking to the heart of Jerusalem); John 5:28-29 (all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out).

Ezekiel 37:15-17

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, take a stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.’ And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.

In-depth-analysis

Symbolic Act: The prophecy shifts from a vision to a tangible, prophetic sign-act. This was a common method for Hebrew prophets (cf. Isaiah 20, Jeremiah 19).
Two Sticks: The sticks represent the two kingdoms that split after Solomon's reign (c. 931 BC).
- Judah: The southern kingdom, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, associated with Jerusalem and the Davidic line.
- Joseph/Ephraim: The northern kingdom, often called "Israel" or "Ephraim" (its leading tribe). It comprised the other ten tribes.
Become one in your hand: This physical joining in the prophet's hand symbolizes God's direct, personal action in reunifying His divided people. The centuries of schism, rivalry, and hostility will be overcome.

Bible references

1 Kgs 12:16-20: And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered... “To your tents, O Israel!”... So Israel went to their tents. [The historical account of the kingdom's division].
John 10:16: And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. [Jesus' promise to unite Jews and Gentiles, a broader fulfillment of this unity theme].
Eph 2:14-16: For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility... [Christ uniting Jew and Gentile into one new man].

Cross references

Isa 11:13 (Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah); Jer 3:18 (Judah and Israel shall walk together); Jer 31:31 (a new covenant with Israel and Judah); Hos 1:11 (the children of Judah and Israel gathered together).

Ezekiel 37:18-23

And when your people say to you, ‘Will you not tell us what you mean by these?’ say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am about to take the stick of Joseph... and I will join with it the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, that they may be one in my hand... I will take the people of Israel from the nations... and bring them to their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land... and one king shall be king over them all... No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols... and I will save them... and cleanse them, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

In-depth-analysis

One Nation, One King: The unification is both political ("one nation") and monarchical ("one king"). The division that plagued Israel's history will be healed permanently.
Re-gathering from Nations: The scope includes not just the exiles in Babylon (Judah) but the descendants of the northern kingdom, who were scattered by Assyria over a century earlier (722 BC) and were considered lost.
Spiritual Cleansing: The restoration is not merely political; it is profoundly spiritual. God promises to cleanse them from idolatry, the very sin that caused their downfall and division.
Covenant Formula: "They shall be my people, and I will be their God" is the quintessential expression of the covenant relationship, now renewed and purified.

Bible references

Zech 10:6: I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them... [Prophecy of reuniting Judah and Joseph/Ephraim].
Jer 23:5-6: Behold, the days are coming... when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely... In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. [Promise of a single, righteous Davidic king over a unified people].
Eze 36:25: I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses... [Directly echoes the theme of divine cleansing from the previous chapter].

Cross references

Deut 30:3-5 (promise to gather from nations); Mic 2:12 (I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob); Heb 8:10 (NT quoting of the new covenant formula); 1 Pet 2:9-10 (application of "God's people" to the Church).

Ezekiel 37:24-28

“My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd... I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”

In-depth-analysis

My Servant David: This refers to an ideal, future king from the line of David, the Messiah. This king is also called a "shepherd," evoking imagery of intimate care and guidance.
Covenant of Peace (בְּרִית שָׁלוֹם, b'rit shalom): This is more than the absence of war; shalom means wholeness, well-being, prosperity, and a right relationship with God. This is an everlasting covenant, unlike the conditional Mosaic covenant.
My Sanctuary in their midst forevermore: The ultimate sign of restoration is God's own presence. This promise of a permanent sanctuary points beyond the second temple (which was eventually destroyed) to an ultimate, eschatological reality of God dwelling with His people.
My Dwelling Place (מִשְׁכָּנִי, mishkani): This Hebrew word echoes the Tabernacle (mishkan) from the Exodus, signifying a renewed and permanent intimacy like that in the wilderness, but now eternal.
The Nations will know: The final goal is missional. Israel's restoration and God's dwelling with them will be a testimony to the nations, revealing the sanctifying power of Yahweh.

Bible references

Luke 1:32-33: He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever... [The angel Gabriel identifying Jesus as the fulfillment of the Davidic promise].
John 1:14: And the Word became flesh and dwelt (eskenosen, Greek for 'tabernacled') among us... [The incarnation of Christ as the fulfillment of God dwelling with His people].
Rev 21:3: And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” [The ultimate, eternal fulfillment of this prophecy].

Cross references

Isa 54:10 (covenant of peace); Eze 34:23 (one shepherd, my servant David); Hag 2:9 (the latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former); 2 Cor 6:16 (we are the temple of the living God); Zech 8:23 (nations taking hold of a Jew).

Ezekiel 37 analysis

Two Halves, One Story: The chapter is perfectly structured. Verses 1-14 promise restoration from death (new life). Verses 15-28 promise restoration from division (new unity). A nation cannot be truly whole without both.
The Centrality of Ruach: The Spirit/Breath/Wind of God is the agent of transformation. It moves the prophet (v. 1), it is prophesied to (v. 9), it gives life (v. 10), and it is the indwelling mark of the restored people (v. 14). This demonstrates that Israel's new life is entirely a supernatural work of God.
National and Individual Fulfillment: While the primary context is the national restoration of Israel, the imagery and language used have profoundly influenced the theology of individual bodily resurrection in both later Judaism and Christianity. The NT writers see the spiritual resurrection of believers from sin (Eph 2:5) and the future bodily resurrection of the dead (1 Thess 4:16) as fuller dimensions of this same life-giving power.
The Role of God's Word: The entire miracle is activated by Ezekiel prophesying—speaking God's Word to a hopeless situation. This highlights the theological principle that God's promises are brought to pass through the proclamation of His Word. The Word has creative power.
Eschatological Trajectory: The chapter moves from an immediate, historical hope (return from Babylon) to an ultimate, eschatological hope (everlasting covenant, Messianic king, God's permanent sanctuary). This progressive revelation points toward a final fulfillment that transcends the historical return. Christian theology sees its ultimate fulfillment in Christ and the New Creation.

Ezekiel 37 summary

Ezekiel 37 offers a powerful vision of hope, promising that God can and will reverse Israel's national death. Through a vision of dry bones reanimated by God's Spirit and a sign-act of two sticks joined into one, God guarantees He will restore His people from the grave of exile, reunify the divided houses of Israel and Judah, cleanse them spiritually, and establish them forever in their land under the perfect rule of a new Davidic King, with His own holy presence dwelling in their midst as an everlasting testimony to the nations.

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Ezekiel chapter 37 kjv

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,
² And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
³ And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.
⁴ Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
⁵ Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
⁶ And 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.
⁷ So 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.
⁸ And 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.
⁹ Then 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.
¹⁰ So 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.
¹¹ Then 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.
¹² Therefore 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.
¹³ And 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,
¹⁴ And 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,
¹⁶ Moreover, 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:
¹⁷ And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
¹⁸ And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?
¹⁹ Say 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.
²⁰ And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.
²¹ And 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:
²² And 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.
²³ Neither 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.
²⁴ And 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.
²⁵ And 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.
²⁶ Moreover 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.
²⁷ My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
²⁸ And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

Ezekiel chapter 37 nkjv

¹ The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.
² Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry.
³ And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know."
⁴ Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
⁵ Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.
⁶ I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD." ' "
⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.
⁸ Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
⁹ Also 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 breathe on these slain, that they may live." ' "
¹⁰ So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
¹¹ Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!'
¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
¹³ Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves.
¹⁴ I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it," says the LORD.' "
¹⁵ Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
¹⁶ "As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: 'For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.' Then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.'
¹⁷ Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand.
¹⁸ "And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, 'Will you not show us what you mean by these?'?
¹⁹ say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand." '
²⁰ And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.
²¹ "Then say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land;
²² and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.
²³ They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
²⁴ "David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them.
²⁵ Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children's children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.
²⁶ Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore.
²⁷ My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
²⁸ The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore." ' "

Ezekiel chapter 37 niv

¹ The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.
² He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.
³ He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "Sovereign LORD, you alone know."
⁴ Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
⁵ This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.
⁶ I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'?"
⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.
⁸ I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them 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 it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'?"
¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet?a vast army.
¹¹ Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.'
¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
¹³ Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.
¹⁴ I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.'?"
¹⁵ The word of the LORD came to me:
¹⁶ "Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, 'Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.' Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, 'Belonging to Joseph (that is, to Ephraim) and all the Israelites associated with him.'
¹⁷ Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand.
¹⁸ "When your people ask you, 'Won't you tell us what you mean by this?'
¹⁹ say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph?which is in Ephraim's hand?and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah's stick. I will make them into a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.'
²⁰ Hold before their eyes the sticks you have written on
²¹ and say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land.
²² I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms.
²³ They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
²⁴ "?'My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.
²⁵ They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their children's children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever.
²⁶ I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever.
²⁷ My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.
²⁸ Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.'?"

Ezekiel chapter 37 esv

¹ The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones.
² And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry.
³ And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know."
⁴ Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
⁵ Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.
⁶ And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD."
⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.
⁸ And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had 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 breathe on these slain, that they may live."
¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
¹¹ Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.'
¹² Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel.
¹³ And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people.
¹⁴ And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD."
¹⁵ The word of the LORD came to me:
¹⁶ "Son of man, take a stick and write on it, 'For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him'; then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.'
¹⁷ And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.
¹⁸ And when your people say to you, 'Will you not tell us what you mean by these?'
¹⁹ say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am about to take the stick of Joseph (that is in the hand of Ephraim) and the tribes of Israel associated with him. And I will join with it the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, that they may be one in my hand.
²⁰ When the sticks on which you write are in your hand before their eyes,
²¹ then say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land.
²² And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms.
²³ They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
²⁴ "My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes.
²⁵ They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children's children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever.
²⁶ I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore.
²⁷ My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
²⁸ Then the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore."

Ezekiel chapter 37 nlt

¹ The LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley filled with bones.
² He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out.
³ Then he asked me, "Son of man, can these bones become living people again?" "O Sovereign LORD," I replied, "you alone know the answer to that."
⁴ Then he said to me, "Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, 'Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD!
⁵ This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!
⁶ I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'"
⁷ So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons.
⁸ Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.
⁹ Then he said to me, "Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.'"
¹⁰ So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet ? a great army.
¹¹ Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, 'We have become old, dry bones ? all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.'
¹² Therefore, prophesy to them and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
¹³ When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the LORD.
¹⁴ I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the LORD has spoken!'"
¹⁵ Again a message came to me from the LORD:
¹⁶ "Son of man, take a piece of wood and carve on it these words: 'This represents Judah and its allied tribes.' Then take another piece and carve these words on it: 'This represents Ephraim and the northern tribes of Israel.'
¹⁷ Now hold them together in your hand as if they were one piece of wood.
¹⁸ When your people ask you what your actions mean,
¹⁹ say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take Ephraim and the northern tribes and join them to Judah. I will make them one piece of wood in my hand.'
²⁰ "Then hold out the pieces of wood you have inscribed, so the people can see them.
²¹ And give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: I will gather the people of Israel from among the nations. I will bring them home to their own land from the places where they have been scattered.
²² I will unify them into one nation on the mountains of Israel. One king will rule them all; no longer will they be divided into two nations or into two kingdoms.
²³ They will never again pollute themselves with their idols and vile images and rebellion, for I will save them from their sinful apostasy. I will cleanse them. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.
²⁴ "My servant David will be their king, and they will have only one shepherd. They will obey my regulations and be careful to keep my decrees.
²⁵ They will live in the land I gave my servant Jacob, the land where their ancestors lived. They and their children and their grandchildren after them will live there forever, generation after generation. And my servant David will be their prince forever.
²⁶ And I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give them their land and increase their numbers, and I will put my Temple among them forever.
²⁷ I will make my home among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
²⁸ And when my Temple is among them forever, the nations will know that I am the LORD, who makes Israel holy."