Ezekiel 36 37

Ezekiel 36:37 kjv

Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.

Ezekiel 36:37 nkjv

'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock.

Ezekiel 36:37 niv

"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Once again I will yield to Israel's plea and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep,

Ezekiel 36:37 esv

"Thus says the Lord GOD: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock.

Ezekiel 36:37 nlt

"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am ready to hear Israel's prayers and to increase their numbers like a flock.

Ezekiel 36 verses

Ezekiel 36 37 meaning

God, having promised to restore Israel in numerous ways, declares that He will also permit the house of Israel to pray to Him concerning the increase of their population. This increase will be dramatic, making them as numerous as a flock of sheep. This signifies God's divine initiative in both promising the blessing and inviting human participation through prayer, ensuring His people engage with His purposes.

Ezekiel 36 37 Context

Ezekiel chapter 36 delivers a powerful prophecy of Israel's spiritual and physical restoration after their desolate experience in Babylonian exile. God asserts that He will act not due to Israel's righteousness, but for the vindication of His holy name among the nations (vv. 22-23). The preceding verses (vv. 24-36) detail this comprehensive restoration: purifying them from sin, giving them a new heart and a new spirit, enabling them to obey His laws, and making their desolate land fruitful and beautiful again. They would be multiplied, and their cities rebuilt. Verse 37 introduces a specific and vital nuance to this overarching promise: for the re-population aspect, God declares that He will allow or expects the house of Israel to actively petition Him. This positions prayer not as a prerequisite for God's action, but as a desired response and participation from a people whose hearts have been transformed, thus showing their renewed reliance on Yahweh amidst His already declared will.

Ezekiel 36 37 Word analysis

• Thus says the Lord GOD: (Hebrew: Koh amar Adonai YHWH). This is the quintessential prophetic formula, underscoring the divine origin and absolute authority of the message. "Lord GOD" combines Adonai, indicating respectful address, with YHWH, the sacred covenant name of God, emphasizing His self-existence and His faithfulness to His promises. It conveys that the following words are not human conjecture but direct revelation.
• 'This also I will let': (Hebrew: Gam zot 'eDDerēš lahem). Gam ("also, even this") highlights an additional, yet crucial, facet of God's restoration. The verb 'eDDerēš is from the root darash (to seek, inquire, ask for) in the Nifal stem (passive/reflexive), meaning "I will be sought concerning this" or "I will allow myself to be inquired of concerning this." It implies God making Himself available and receptive to their petitions, an active divine decision to enable human participation.
• 'the house of Israel': (Hebrew: bêṯ Yisrael). Refers to the collective entity of God's chosen people, representing both the northern and southern kingdoms, united in the future restoration. It emphasizes the communal nature of this promise and their corporate identity before God.
• 'ask Me to do for them': (Hebrew: yiD'DAršuni la'ăśōt lahem). YiD'DAršuni (they will ask Me, or seek Me) uses the same root darash. This directly expresses Israel's active role: to approach God with their request. It transforms a passive reception into an interactive relationship, showing restored communion and dependence on God.
• 'to increase their men': (Hebrew: yĕrebbū 'ādām). Yĕrebbū (they will multiply, be numerous) is from the verb rabah, meaning to be or become great, numerous, or many. 'Ādām means "man, mankind." This phrase specifically targets population growth, a reversal of the decimation and exile. It promises physical restoration and the rebuilding of communities, ensuring inhabitants for the renewed land.
• 'like a flock': (Hebrew: kaṣṣōn). Kaṣṣōn ("like a flock/sheep"). This simile portrays prolific and abundant growth. Sheep were a common and familiar image of wealth, increase, and prosperity in an agrarian society. It assures a robust and thriving population, a stark contrast to the scattered and depleted state of Israel during exile.

Ezekiel 36 37 Words-group analysis

• "Thus says the Lord GOD: 'This also I will let the house of Israel ask Me to do for them'": This opening reveals God's sovereign intent not only to bestow blessings but also to involve His people in the process through prayer. It's a divine initiative to foster relational intimacy, inviting Israel to seek Him even for things He has already willed to give. This demonstrates that prayer is part of God's established order for achieving His purposes, cultivating faith and dependence.
• "'to increase their men like a flock'": This phrase succinctly captures the essence of a key promise: the reversal of Israel's national decline through prolific demographic growth. "Like a flock" signifies not just quantity but also well-being and a shepherd-like care from God, harkening back to the foundational blessings of the Abrahamic covenant. It addresses a fundamental need for a vibrant community to repopulate the restored land and fulfill their purpose.

Ezekiel 36 37 Bonus section

This verse subtly underscores God's educational approach to His people. By including an element that requires their explicit asking, God cultivates several virtues:

• Faith: Israel must believe that God, who made the initial grand promises, will indeed listen and act on their specific request.
• Humility and Dependence: It teaches them that while God initiates blessings, all good things come from His hand and through seeking Him. They are not merely passive recipients but active partners.
• Recognition of God's Sovereignty: The very act of asking acknowledges God as the ultimate provider and giver of life and fruitfulness.
• Remembrance: The process of asking and receiving for a specific blessing like population increase helps them remember God's faithfulness and intervention, ensuring His name is glorified.

The repeated use of the verb darash (to seek, inquire, ask) for both God allowing Himself to be sought and for Israel's seeking, highlights a covenantal reciprocity. God makes Himself accessible, and Israel is called to approach. This mutual seeking deepens their relationship, transitioning them from a desolate and unengaged people to a vibrant community in active communion with their God.

Ezekiel 36 37 Commentary

Ezekiel 36:37 provides a profound insight into the dynamic relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility, especially through prayer. Following sweeping promises of Israel's restoration—from spiritual renewal with a new heart and Spirit (vv. 26-27) to physical restoration of the land (vv. 29-30) and cities (vv. 33-35)—God reserves one specific element: He will allow, or indeed expects, Israel to actively "ask Me to do for them" concerning their population growth. This is not a conditional statement implying God won't act unless they ask, for He has already stated His will. Instead, it's an invitation to engagement, a means for Israel to demonstrate renewed faith, acknowledge God as the source of blessing, and foster intimacy with Him. Their asking becomes an act of covenant trust, recognizing that God's plans unfold best in partnership with His praying people. The blessing itself—"to increase their men like a flock"—is a potent image of fertility and abundant life, reversing the devastation of exile and fulfilling ancient covenant promises (e.g., Abrahamic seed multiplied), essential for repopulating their rebuilt homeland.

• Practical Usage Example: Just as God explicitly desired Israel's participation through prayer for a promise He intended to fulfill, believers today are called to pray for God's declared will to be done (e.g., "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," Matt 6:10). Our prayers do not inform God of what He doesn't know, nor do they coerce Him, but they align our hearts with His, demonstrating our trust and participation in His sovereign work. We pray not to change God's mind, but to unleash His will through faithful intercession.