Ezekiel 37:7-10 meaning

Ezekiel 37:7-10 narrates the two-stage execution of the vision seen in the prior section—bones gathering and bodies forming under the first prophecy, and the breath of life entering under the second, a representation of Israel being reformed after having been dismembered and scattered, severing them from their land. Death is separation, and Israel has been separated from their land and nation. Therefore, the image of death is appropriate as it pertains to the nation.

Chronological and Historical Context

The book of Ezekiel is written in a time period between "the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile" from Judah (Ezekiel 1:2) and "the twenty-fifth year of our exile" (Ezekiel 40:1). Ezekiel was deported in the same exile to Babylon as King Jehoiachin, along with the skilled workers, nobles, court officials, priests and men of valor; about 10,000 people in total (2 Kings 24:14-16). Ezekiel was one of the priests chosen for deportation (Ezekiel 1:3).

The time frame Ezekiel covers can be dated as approximately 593 BC to 573 BC. Judah was conquered and its people taken into exile in the vicinity of 586 BC (2 Kings 25:1-11), a date which occurs during the timing of Ezekiel's book. At the time of Ezekiel's writing, Assyria had already conquered and taken the northern Kingdom of Israel into exile in 722 BC, about 125 years prior to this period.

The book of Ezekiel pivots at Ezekiel 33:21, where Ezekiel gets word that the kingdom of Judah has fallen to Babylon. This refers to the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in 586 BC. One dating system puts the message of Jerusalem's fall arriving to Ezekiel in Babylon at January of 585 BC, about six months after its fall in late summer 586 BC ("In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month" per Ezekiel 33:21).

This fits, since it was a 900-mile journey from Jerusalem to Babylon, so it would take considerable time for the news to travel. It would make sense that the news would arrive along with the spoils of Jerusalem's temple, as detailed in 2 Kings 25:13-17, where a likely parade would be given in honor of Babylon's might and glory. So the time to implement the dismantling, load it on caravans and transport to Babylon could explain the time lag.

Ezekiel, a priest, had been a part of the elite of Judah who were exiled earlier by Nebuchadnezzar, likely around 597 BC. This was the second exile, when he exiled officials, skilled workers, priests (including Ezekiel) as well as King Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:10-17).

There were three waves of exile from Judah to Babylon. Daniel was taken in the first wave, likely around 605 BC, in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, the father of Jehoiachin (Daniel 1:1-6). Daniel served in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar. Ezekiel was taken in the second wave, and his prophetic call came in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile (Ezekiel 1:2, 2 Kings 24:12). Ezekiel served as a prophet to the exiles and dwelt in a settlement along a canal, which implies he dwelt in an agricultural settlement (Ezekiel 1:1-3).

Prior to Ezekiel 33:21, it is reasonable to presume Ezekiel's words are primarily predictive of Judah's impending fall. After Ezekiel 33:21, it is reasonable to presume that Ezekiel's words are indicative of events after Jerusalem’s fall. This also fits the context of Ezekiel 37:11, where the people lament that "We are completely cut off" from their land and country. This vision of the dry bones of Ezekiel 37 then pictures Israel as having been dismantled and scattered. It is, therefore, dead as a nation.

Commentary

Now Ezekiel obeys the command he received in Ezekiel 37:4-6 to prophesy to the dry bones scattered in the valley to "hear the word of the LORD" and come together, grow flesh and gain breath to live again, So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. (v. 7)

The prophet speaks the word the LORD has given him, exactly as commanded. This shows remarkable faith on the part of Ezekiel. When God asked, "Can these bones live?" in Ezekiel 37:3 the obvious answer would have been "No." But instead Ezekiel answered, "O Lord, GOD, You know" (Ezekiel 37:3). Ezekiel shows no doubt, and just does what God asks. He exhibits complete trust that God is the Almighty Creator who can do all things, and has no limits.

The result of Ezekiel's prophecy is immediate and audible. Part of the takeaway is that God prefers to work through His people. God could have commanded the bones, but He chose to command them through His servant, Ezekiel, whom He repeatedly calls "son of man."

The Hebrew word translated noise in the phrase there was a noise among the bones when Ezekiel uttered his prophecy is the same word used in Ezekiel 3:12-13 for the great rumbling sound accompanying the glory of the LORD. The word translated rattling ("ra'ash") is also translated as "earthquake" (1 Kings 19:11, 12, Isaiah 29:6, Ezekiel 38:19), and "shaking" (Job 39:24). So this description is of a great disturbance. The coming together of the bones is a great upheaval that is more like a cataclysmic event than a mere assembling of puzzle pieces.

The valley fills with the clatter of bones moving across the surface, drawing toward each other, finding their correct partners, snapping into their assigned place (bone to its bones). Each bone returns to its correct adjoining bone in its proper body. In a field containing the remains of perhaps thousands or even millions of people, the LORD coordinates the assembly so that every bone reconnects to the right joint.

The next verse records the muscles and tendons growing on the assembled bones, after which they were covered with skin:

And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. (v. 8)

The prophet watches the second layer of the restoration execute in the same sequence as the LORD's announcement in verse 6: sinews appearing on the assembled skeletons, flesh growing over the sinews, then skin closing over the flesh. The rebuilding follows the announced order. Then the verse notes a pause: but there was no breath in them. The assembled bodies have the complete form of life—full skeletal assembly, connective tissue, muscle, skin—but no life itself.

We can note here that while death is separation, life is connection. Physical life occurs when spirit and body are connected. As James 2:26 tells us, "the body without the spirit is dead." Adam came to life after God had first formed his body from the dust, when God breathed the breath of life into the formed body (Genesis 2:7). Then God used one of Adam's ribs to form Eve. It appears that a similar act of creation is taking place here. But in this case, there is an added plot twist that this is a resurrection; the rebirth of a nation.

The bodies lay inanimate, fully formed but not yet living. A body must have a spirit in order to live. In Hebrew, the word translated "spirit" is the same word that is translated "wind" or "breath" depending on the context. God now calls the "breath" or spirit to come from an appropriate place, the "four winds":

Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life"'" (v. 9)

The command to prophesy is doubled for emphasis: prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man. The object that received the first prophecy was the dry bones. The object of the second is the wind or breath itself: and say to the breath. Just as with the bones in verse 4, wind has no natural capacity to receive prophetic speech.

The Hebrew word "ruach," translated breath, appears in Ezekiel over fifty times. About half of the time, it is translated as "spirit" or "Spirit," depending on whose spirit is being referred to in context. The other half of its usage in Ezekiel, "ruach" is rendered "breath," "wind," "side," or "mind/thoughts" (which is likely the same idea as "spirit"). The idea that the four winds are called to bring breath to animate the lifeless bodies implies that they come to life through receiving a spirit. This seems to apply in every aspect of "ruach."

Replacing its translation with the root "ruach" in every application it appears in verse 9, it reads:

Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the "ruach," prophesy, son of man, and say to the "ruach," 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Come from the four "ruach" O "ruach" and breathe on these slain, that they come to life."'" (Ezekiel 37:9)

The Hebrew verb translated "breathe" is "naphach," the same verb used in Genesis 2:7, where God "breathed" into Adam's nostrils and brought him to life.

The phrase four winds applies to all four directions of the compass. This could picture God's Spirit, since God is omnipresent. It could also picture the life of the nation being restored by the gathering of Jewish people from every part of the earth. People are to a nation what breath is to a body.

The reformed bodies are called slain—those who were struck down. The word identifies the exiled community's condition as the result of the divine discipline they had experienced due to their unfaithfulness in keeping their covenant vows (1 Chronicles 9:1). The people were separated from their nation, which was the death of the nation, per the agreed-upon contract provision for failing to do justice, reject partiality, and treat others as they want to be treated (Deuteronomy 28:15-68).

Now, what the LORD struck down, the LORD calls back to life. This is also according to God's treaty promise, as the LORD promised that when the nation rebelled, He would restore them when they were without strength (Deuteronomy 32:36).

Ezekiel obeys the LORD's command:

So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army (v. 10)

The obedience formula from verse 7 repeats: as He commanded me. Again Ezekiel obeys, and prophesied. The breath entered the bodies, which then came to life. They stand on their feet. The Hebrew verb stood ("amad") carries the sense of taking a stable position—the word used for soldiers taking their stations or witnesses standing to testify.

The closing description of the reassembled bodies now living is that they are an exceedingly great army. The Hebrew word translated army is translated according to its most common application. But it can also be rendered "strength," "might," or "power." The picture is of a mighty nation. Nations cannot have military might without the money to pay for it. The implied idea is that the nation would rise and become powerful in all respects—the exact opposite of its current state of annihilation at the time of this prophecy.

The bones in Ezekiel 37:2 were "very many" and "very dry" are now a mighty nation. The valley that had been a graveyard is now filled with an army of living people. The LORD's word, spoken by the prophet into the impossible situation, produced precisely what it announced.