The People The last step in the reconstruction of the new Israel is the resurrection of the people. The nation is dead, and its bones scattered and dry. But it shall rise from the dead; the bones shall come together and the spirit of life from Jehovah shall enter into them and they shall live. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_The hand of the Lord_ The prophetic ecstasy from the Lord, ch. Ezekiel 1:3. On "spirit" of the Lord cf. Ezekiel 3:14; Ezekiel 8:3, Ezek. 9:24. The "valley" is probably that mentioned early in the Book, Ezekiel 3:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
The vision of Israel's resurrection from the dead The vision seems suggested by the saying current among the people, "our bones are dried, our hope is lost; we are wholly cut off." This idea and feeling of the people takes form in the vision which the prophet saw in the valley. The language of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_the often valley_ lit. _on the face of the valley_. The bones were strewed over the valley in vast numbers, and they appeared bleached and dry. Their great number no doubt was suggested by the actual fact that vast multitudes of the people had been slain with the sword or had otherwise perished; an... [ Continue Reading ]
To the question, Can these bones live? the prophet, looking at them, could not answer Yea (even to the Apostle attainment unto the resurrection of the dead was something ineffably lofty, Philippians 3:11), and yet in the presence of him who put the question he could not answer No (Romans 4:17-21; He... [ Continue Reading ]
The act of putting breath within them, being the main and final step of giving them life, is mentioned first as if it embraced all.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then follow the details of their becoming actual men of flesh and blood. Ezekiel 37:7. As the prophet spoke there was a great sound and the bones came together, bone to his bone, and they became clothed with flesh; but as yet there was no breath of life in them.... [ Continue Reading ]
_behold a shaking_ The word is rendered "rushing" (Ezekiel 3:12). The noise is that occasioned by the rising and rushing of the bones together. The previous word "noise" is wanting in LXX., which reads simply: and it came to pass as I prophesied that behold a rushing.... [ Continue Reading ]
The order described in the creation of man (Genesis 2) is observed here: first the body was formed and then the breath of life was breathed into it. _Prophesy unto the wind_ Or, _breath_. In Heb. the same word means wind, breath and spirit. The sign of life, the breath, is seen to be identical with... [ Continue Reading ]
_The whole house of Israel_ viz. Judah and Ephraim. _our hope is lost_ Those who speak are the living members of the nation, and it is of the nationality that they speak. The destruction and dissolution of the nation appeared to them final. It could no more be revived than the dry bones could be ma... [ Continue Reading ]
The figure is varied here, the people are regarded as dead and buried and their revival is an opening of their graves. The phrase "bring you into the land of Israel" shews, however, that the language is still used figuratively of the resuscitation of the dead nation and not literally of the resurrec... [ Continue Reading ]
The symbol of the wind breathing into the slain is here explained: it is the spirit of Jehovah that gives life, Psalms 104:30. The connexion shews that the spirit of the Lord here is merely the life-giving spirit, and not the regenerating spirit, as in Ezekiel 36:27 though the distinction is merely... [ Continue Reading ]
Prophecy of the reunion of the restored Israel into one kingdom, ruled by one king, even David (1) Ezekiel 37:15. Symbol of the union of Judah and Israel into one kingdom, with its explanation. (2) Ezekiel 37:24. There shall be one king over the new nation, even David. (3) Ezekiel 37:26. Jehovah'... [ Continue Reading ]
_one stick_ i.e. staff, or rod, equivalent to sceptre, Numbers 17:2; so Ezekiel 37:17_; Ezekiel 37:19_. _children of Israel_ After the fall of the northern kingdom the name Israel was often used of Judah, the only remaining part of it. Here Israel of the north is called Joseph or Ephraim.... [ Continue Reading ]
Explanation of the symbolical action. _put them with him_ lit. _join them unto it_, even _unto the stick of Judah_. The construction is rather unnatural (for _eth_, cf. Ezekiel 14:22; Ezekiel 43:17, others would read _el_). _in mine hand_ Vulg. reads _in his hand_(so Ew.), i.e. Judah's, and LXX. ac... [ Continue Reading ]
This symbolical action may have been actually performed, though the supposition is scarcely necessary, cf. Ezekiel 12:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
This promise runs throughout all prophecy. The disruption of the state was felt even by Hosea, a native of the north, to have introduced a schism into the one kingdom of Jehovah, and to have broken the unity of the consciousness of the community, to which the consciousness of the one God corresponde... [ Continue Reading ]
Cf. Ezekiel 36:25. _all their dwelling places_ More probably: out of all their BACKSLIDINGS. So LXX., cf. Ezekiel 36:29.... [ Continue Reading ]
_David my servant_ Cf. Ezekiel 34:23-24. Here the term "king" is applied to the ruler of the future (Ezekiel 37:22); in other places "prince." The words seem used indifferently, cf. Ezekiel 19:1; Ezekiel 22:25. Cf. Ezekiel 36:27.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cf. Ezekiel 36:28. _Jacob my servant_ Jacob is here the patriarch himself, not as in Isaiah 40 _seq_. a name for the people. He is referred to as the ancestor cf Israel in Hosea 12:12, as Abraham in Isaiah 29:22. Cf. ch. Ezekiel 33:24; Isaiah 41:8; Isaiah 51:2; Isaiah 63:16. their prince for ever [ Continue Reading ]
_a covenant of peace_ Cf. Ezekiel 36:25; Isaiah 55:3; Jeremiah 32:40. _my sanctuary_ The name given by the prophet to the temple as the dwelling place of Jehovah (Ezekiel 37:27) and specially sanctified or made holy by his presence.... [ Continue Reading ]
_My tabernacle also_ And MY DWELLING PLACE … AND I WILL BE. The words repeat the idea in Ezekiel 37:26. The last words of the Book are, "The Lord is there." The phrase _with_them, i.e. by or beside them (cf. Ezekiel 2:6), might mean _over_them, reference being to the situation of the temple, high ab... [ Continue Reading ]
The presence of Jehovah makes the house wherein he dwells a sanctuary (holy place), and the presence of his sanctuary (he being there, Ezekiel 48:35) among the people sanctifies them or makes them "holy" a term which expresses two things: being the possession of Jehovah, and being in disposition and... [ Continue Reading ]