Ezekiel 37

The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones

¹The 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.

²He caused me to pass by them all around; and behold, there were very many in the open valley, and behold, they were very dry.

³He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I answered, “Lord GOD, you know.”

⁴Again he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them, ‘You dry bones, hear the LORD’s word.

⁵The Lord GOD says to these bones: “Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you will live.

⁶I 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.”’”

⁷So 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.

⁸I saw, and, behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them.

⁹Then 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.”’”

¹⁰So 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.

¹¹Then 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.’

¹²Therefore 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.

¹³You 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.

¹⁴I 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 Two Sticks Become One

¹⁵The LORD’s word came again to me, saying,

¹⁶“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.’

¹⁷Then join them for yourself to one another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.

¹⁸“When the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’

¹⁹tell 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.

²⁰The sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.”’

²¹Say 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.

²²I 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.

²³They 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.

²⁴“‘“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.

²⁵They 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.

²⁶Moreover 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.

²⁷My tent also will be with them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

²⁸The nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is among them forever more.”’”

Previous Ezekiel 36

Next Ezekiel 38

Ezekiel receives two powerful visions of restoration for Israel. In the famous vision of the valley of dry bones, God demonstrates His power to resurrect the spiritually dead nation of Israel, breathing new life into what seemed utterly hopeless. The second vision uses two sticks representing the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel, showing God's plan to reunite His people under one covenant and one leader, promising their return to the promised land.

Context

Following chapters of judgment against Israel and the nations, this chapter marks a major turning point toward restoration and hope in Ezekiel's prophecy.

Key Themes

Outline

1-3
The Valley of Dry Bones God brings Ezekiel to a valley filled with very dry bones and asks if they can live.
4-8
Prophesying to the Bones Ezekiel prophesies and the bones reassemble with sinews, flesh, and skin, but without breath.
9-10
The Breath of Life God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the wind, and breath enters the bodies, creating a great army.
11-14
Interpretation of the Vision God explains the bones represent Israel in exile and promises to resurrect and restore them to their land.
15-17
The Two Sticks God instructs Ezekiel to take two sticks representing Judah and Joseph and join them into one.
18-28
Promise of Reunification God explains He will reunite the divided kingdoms under one king and establish an everlasting covenant.

The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones

37:1–37:14

prophecy vision hopeful

Ezekiel receives a vision of dry bones coming to life, symbolizing God's power to restore the spiritually dead nation of Israel. The vision demonstrates God's ability to resurrect hope and bring His people back to their land.

person_contrast

Ezekiel, who typically prophesies judgment and exile, here witnesses God's creative power reversing death itself—the only vision where he observes divine resurrection rather than destruction.

The Two Sticks Become One

37:15–37:28

prophecy vision hopeful

God commands Ezekiel to symbolically join two sticks representing Judah and Israel, prophesying the reunification of the divided kingdoms under one Davidic king. This vision promises restoration, cleansing from idolatry, and an eternal covenant of peace.

person_contrast

Ezekiel, who delivers judgment oracles in 54 of his 57 appearances, here uniquely prophesies reunification using the Hebrew word "echad" (one) seven times in fourteen verses.

Insight Character Study

Ezekiel, who typically prophesies judgment and exile, here witnesses God's creative power reversing death itself—the only vision where he observes divine resurrection rather than destruction.

Insight Character Study

Ezekiel, who delivers judgment oracles in 54 of his 57 appearances, here uniquely prophesies reunification using the Hebrew word "echad" (one) seven times in fourteen verses.