Ezekiel 16:2 kjv
Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,
Ezekiel 16:2 nkjv
"Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,
Ezekiel 16:2 niv
"Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices
Ezekiel 16:2 esv
"Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations,
Ezekiel 16:2 nlt
"Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable sins.
Ezekiel 16 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 37:3 | "And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” | Direct repetition, divine inquiry about revival |
| Psalm 130:7 | "For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption." | God's power to redeem and restore |
| Jeremiah 32:27 | "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?" | God's omnipotence, contrasting human despair |
| Romans 4:17 | "...as it is written, 'I have made you the father of a multitude of nations'—in the presence of the God who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist." | God's power over death and nothingness |
| Romans 8:11 | "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." | God's Spirit as the source of resurrection life |
| John 11:26 | "and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" | Jesus' teaching on resurrection and eternal life |
| Genesis 18:14 | "Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”" | God's questioning Abraham about Sarah's conception |
| 2 Corinthians 1:8 | "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself." | Paul's description of extreme desolation and despair |
| Isaiah 53:3 | "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief..." | The Suffering Servant's experience of rejection |
| Psalm 77:2 | "When I could not find comfort, I cried aloud to God." | Seeking God in times of deep distress |
| Ezekiel 11:19 | "And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh," | Foreshadowing of spiritual renewal |
| Ezekiel 14:17 | "Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the land, so that no one is left, no animal, no man,'" | God's judgment bringing total destruction |
| Isaiah 65:17 | "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind." | God's promise of complete renewal |
| Romans 4:21 | "...fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised." | Abraham's faith in God's ability |
| John 3:3 | "Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”" | The necessity of spiritual rebirth |
| Acts 2:24 | "But God raised him up, loosening the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it." | God's power over death demonstrated in Christ's resurrection |
| Jeremiah 30:12-13 | "For thus says the LORD: 'Your injury is incurable, your wound is grievous.' ... I will restore health to you, and I will heal you of your wounds, declares the LORD," | God's promise to heal despite seemingly incurable wounds |
| Psalm 34:18 | "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and to the crushed in spirit he saves." | God's compassion for the brokenhearted |
| Acts 17:28 | "...for 'in him we live and move and have our being'..." | God's sovereign control over life and existence |
| Zechariah 4:6 | "Then he said to me, 'This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.'" | Spirit's power over physical limitations |
Ezekiel 16 verses
Ezekiel 16 2 Meaning
The Lord asks Ezekiel a pointed question: "Son of man, can these bones live?" This rhetorical question sets the stage for a prophecy concerning the restoration of Israel, both physically and spiritually. It highlights the utter desolation and hopelessness of the situation facing the exiled nation, presenting a scenario that is impossible by human standards.
Ezekiel 16 2 Context
Ezekiel 37 is set in the midst of the Babylonian exile. The people of Israel have been carried away from their homeland, their temple is destroyed, and their national existence is seemingly at an end. In this chapter, Ezekiel is taken in a vision to a valley filled with dry, scattered bones. This stark imagery represents the complete spiritual and physical deadness of the nation of Israel, abandoned and seemingly without hope for the future. The question posed by the Lord to Ezekiel ("Son of man, can these bones live?") reflects the despair of the exiles themselves, who felt like these bones—lifeless and forgotten. The subsequent prophecy details God's power to resurrect and restore them, both through the dry bones coming to life and through the uniting of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
Ezekiel 16 2 Word analysis
Son of man: (Hebrew: בֶּן־אָדָם, ben-adam)
- A title frequently used by God when speaking to Ezekiel.
- It emphasizes Ezekiel's humanity in contrast to God's divinity, underscoring his role as a human messenger.
- Connects to Daniel's vision of the "Son of Man" (Dan. 7:13-14), often interpreted as a messianic figure.
hath said (Hebrew: אָמַר, amar)
- The simple past tense of "to say" or "to speak."
- Indicates a direct divine utterance or instruction to Ezekiel.
unto me (Hebrew: אֵלַי, elai)
- First-person singular pronominal suffix attached to the preposition "to" or "unto."
- Signifies the personal and direct nature of God's communication to the prophet.
Son of man: (See above)
Can these bones live? (Hebrew: הֲתִחְיֶינָה הָעֲצָמֹות הָאֵלֶּה, ha-tiḥyeynah ha-atzamovt ha-eleh)
- הֲ (ha) - Interrogative particle, forming a yes/no question.
- תִּחְיֶינָה (tiḥyeynah) - Third-person feminine plural imperfect verb from חָיָה (ḥayah), meaning "to live" or "to be alive." The feminine plural agrees with the subject, "bones."
- הָעֲצָמֹות (ha-atzamovt) - The definite article "the" (הָ, ha) plus עצָמֹות (atzamovt), the plural of עֶצֶם (etzem), meaning "bone."
- הָאֵלֶּה (ha-eleh) - Demonstrative pronoun, meaning "these."
- The phrase captures a question of absolute impossibility, implying the bones are completely dry, disconnected, and devoid of any natural means of revival.
Words-group analysis:
- The core of the verse is the question "Can these bones live?"
- This phrase encapsulates a scenario of total biological death and decay. The bones are "dry" (v. 2), meaning devoid of flesh, marrow, and any moisture essential for life.
- The question is posed by God (represented by the Lord's word through the "Son of man" address), directing it to Ezekiel, and implicitly, to the nation represented by the bones.
- The power dynamic is God questioning His prophet about the potential for life in what appears utterly dead. This emphasizes that any life must come from divine intervention, not human effort.
Ezekiel 16 2 Bonus section
The imagery of the dry bones is a powerful metaphor that transcends the immediate context of Israel's exile. It speaks to any situation where there is a perceived complete absence of hope and life, whether personal, communal, or spiritual. The prophecy that follows is a clear type of God's ability to bring life out of death, foreshadowing the ultimate resurrection power seen in Jesus Christ and His work. It’s a powerful reminder that even when circumstances appear irretrievably lost, God’s spirit has the power to bring about renewal and restoration. This also connects to the broader biblical theme of new creation.
Ezekiel 16 2 Commentary
This verse presents a pivotal moment of divine questioning, designed to confront both Ezekiel and his audience with the stark reality of their condition: utter lifelessness and desolation. The imagery of dry bones in a valley paints a picture of a people spiritually dead and dispersed, a nation facing extinction. The Lord's question is not an inquiry seeking information but a rhetorical probe intended to reveal the depth of their despair and the inadequacy of human capacity to restore them. It sets the stage for the miraculous demonstration of God's power. Life can only come from the divine source, and the restoration of Israel, both physically and spiritually, will be a testament to His sovereign ability to reanimate the seemingly dead, an ability that will ultimately be seen in the resurrection of Christ and the Church.