Ezekiel 37
Cottage BibleNotes on the verses
Chap. XXXVII. Ver. 1. Valley full of bones.—{In this vision, the dry bones aptly represent the ruined and desperate state of both Israel and Judah; and the revivification of these bones signifies their restoration to their own land after their captivity, and also their recovery from their present long dispersion. Although this is the primary and genuine scope of the vision, yet the doctrine of a general resurrection of the dead may justly be inferred from it; for “a simile of the resurrection,” says Jerome, after Tertullian and others, “would never have been used to signify the restoration of the people of Israel, unless such a future resurrection had been believed and known; because no one attempts to confirm uncertain things, by things which have no existence.”
]—B, Ver. 4. Prophesy upon.—Newcome, “Over.” Ver. 11. We are cutoff, &c.—Newcome, “(As for) us, we are cut off.” Var. 12. Out of the graves.—The Jews, in their dispersion, considered themselves as dead, and buried from the world.—[This is a pointed allusion to the resurrection; under which figure Isaiah ((Ezekiel 26:19).) also describes the restoration of the house of Israel, when he says, “thy dead men shall live;” at which time their bones are said to flourish, (Chap. lxvi. 14.) or to be restored to their former strength and vigour; and, in like manner, St. Paul ((Romans 11:15).) expresses their conversion by “life from the dead.” In the land of their captivity, they seemed as absolutely deprived of their country as persons committed to the grave are cut off from the land of the living; but when Cyrus issued his proclamation, Jehovah, as it were, opened their graves, and when he stirred up their spirits to embrace the proffered liberty, he put his Spirit, ruach, the same word rendered wind and breath, within them, that they might live; and their re-establishment in their own land evinced the truth of God in the prediction, and his power in its accomplishment.
|—Bagster. Ver. 16. Take one stick—Or rod. See (Numbers 17:2). Ver. 18. What thou meanest by these.—Heb. “What these (are) unto thee.” Ver. 22. One king.—Namely, Messiah. Ver. 24, compared with (Jeremiah 23:5-6). (Hosea 1:11).—[It is evident that the grand union of Israel and Judah here predicted, and their government under one king, and that king to be David, must still be future; for, politically speaking, they never had a king from that day to this, far less a king or prince of that name. See notes on (Ezekiel 24:23). (Jeremiah 30:1).]—Bagster. Ver. 26. A covenant of peace.—(Isaiah 54:10). (Ephesians 2:14-18). Ver. 27 My tabernacle.—That is, the divine presence shall certainly reside among them. (Ezekiel 43)