Ezekiel 37

The LORD’s hand was on me, and he brought me out in the LORD’s Spirit, and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones.

He caused me to pass by them all around; and behold, there were very many in the open valley, and behold, they were very dry.

He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I answered, “Lord GOD, you know.”

Again he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them, ‘You dry bones, hear the LORD’s word.

The Lord GOD says to these bones: “Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you will live.

I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”’”

So I prophesied as I was commanded. As I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, there was an earthquake. Then the bones came together, bone to its bone.

I saw, and, behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and tell the wind, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Come from the four winds, 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 up on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

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 completely cut off.’

Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

You will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, my people.

I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live. Then I will place you in your own land; and you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,” says the LORD.’”

The LORD’s word came again to me, saying,

“You, son of man, take one stick 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.’

Then join them for yourself to one another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.

“When the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’

tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in my hand.

The sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.”’

Say to them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land.

I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. One king will be king to them all. They will no longer be two nations. They won’t be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.

They won’t 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 dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. So they will be my people, and I will be their God.

“‘“My servant David will be king over them. They all will have one shepherd. They will also walk in my ordinances and observe my statutes, and do them.

They will dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob my servant, in which your fathers lived. They will dwell therein, they, and their children, and their children’s children, forever. David my servant will be their prince forever.

Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them. I will place them, multiply them, and will set my sanctuary among them forever more.

My tent also will be with them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

The nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is among them forever more.”’”

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview. This chapter presents two interconnected visions: the valley of dry bones resurrected by the breath of God, symbolizing Israel’s national and spiritual restoration, and the two sticks joined into one, representing the reunification of Judah and Israel under one divinely appointed king. Situated in the middle of Ezekiel’s prophetic ministry, the chapter moves from a dramatic image of death and hopelessness to a promise of national renewal and eternal covenant relationship, grounded in God’s sovereign power and faithfulness.

Flow.

The vision begins with Ezekiel standing among dry bones in a valley, signifying Israel’s spiritual and national desolation.
God commands Ezekiel to prophesy life into the bones, which come together and are clothed with flesh, yet remain lifeless until the breath enters them.
The bones are interpreted as the whole house of Israel, whose hope seemed lost, but whom God promises to raise from exile and restore to their land.
A second symbol—two sticks inscribed as Judah and Joseph—is enacted to portray the future unification of Israel’s divided kingdoms under one king and one covenant.

Connections. Following chapter 36, which promises God’s cleansing and renewal of His people for the sake of His holy name (WCF 15.1; HC LD 1), this chapter dramatizes that renewal through vivid symbolic action. The resurrection of the dry bones illustrates the divine power required to fulfill those promises, while the reunification of the sticks points to the harmony and unity that will characterize the restored people. This hope anticipates the new covenant realities that chapter 38 will test, as external threats (in Gog’s invasion) seek to disrupt the restored community, but also prepares for the vision of God’s permanent presence in the temple of chapters 40–48.

What it teaches. The resurrection of the dry bones demonstrates God’s power to bring life from death, both physically and spiritually, a work attributed to the Spirit who alone gives life (WCF 15.5; Canons of Dort II.11). The prophecy affirms that Israel’s restoration—both national and spiritual—is God’s work from beginning to end, grounded not in human worthiness but in divine promise (WCF 7.2; LC Q.72). The reunification under “David my servant” points to the messianic king who will shepherd God’s people in peace and righteousness (WCF 8.8; BC Article 20). The eternal covenant of peace and the placement of God’s sanctuary among His people () foreshadow the new creation where God dwells with His people forever (WCF 7.6; HC LD 10).

Apply. God breathes life into death and restores what has been broken, not because His people earned it, but because He keeps His promises.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.