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The theme of this chapter is the sure and certain hope of Israel’s
recreation by the prophetic word and Spirit to be God’s people in God’s
place under God’s rule.
Context
This chapter falls in the compositional unit, chs 33-37, which is introduced by the
announcement of the fall of Jerusalem in ch. 33. It is precisely in this situation that the
exiles would feel that all hope was gone and that Babylon was to be their grave (v. 11). So
ch. 37 looks back to the fall of Jerusalem in ch. 33; but also looks forward to the climax of
the book—especially in the closing verse of the chapter, ‘when my sanctuary is among
them forevermore’ (v. 28). Chapters 38–39 come as a parenthesis before the fulfilment of
this in chs. 40–48.
Structure
There are two main sections to the chapter: vv. 1-14, and vv. 15-28 (the latter of which is
introduced in the customary Ezekielian manner). The first contains a vision and its
interpretation (the vision of the dry bones); 169 the second a symbolic act and its
interpretation (the joining together of the two sticks). The theme of the first section is the
reconstitution of Israel; the theme of the second the reunification of Israel. Both sections
end with the recognition formula: then [someone] will know that I am Yahweh (or, that I
have done it). In the first section it is Israel herself who knows that Yahweh has done it (v.
14); in the second it is the surrounding nations (v. 28). This highlights once again the
concern of Yahweh for his name—so important in Ezekiel’s preaching (cf. 36:20-23).
The first section has a number of puzzling features. For example, Ezekiel—acting
strictly according to Yahweh’s instructions—first prophesies to the bones, and this results
in their being reconstituted into bodies again, but they remain dead (vv. 4-8). He is then
commanded to prophesy to the wind, and when he does so the wind enters into the
reconstituted bodies and they come to life and stand up (vv. 9-10). Why this distinct two-
stage process?
The second puzzling feature is that when Ezekiel is told to prophesy to the exiles in vv. 11-
14 he uses a metaphor—the raising of the dead out of their graves—which does not
correspond to the vision, in which the dry bones lie on the surface of the ground. This
could be explained by assigning vv. 11-14 to a secondary stage in the development of the
text—an expansion which betrays the hand of a second (but not-too-skilful) author or
editor. 170 This would mean that in the original text the vision remained a private one,
with no accompanying oracle; verses 11-14 were added to fill the gap.
A certain lack of congruence between the vision and what follows must be acknowledged.
It could be that the contents of the two sections were originally separate and have been
brought together for thematic reasons in the formation of the book. But this does not
mean that vv.11-14 must be assigned to someone other than Ezekiel. Furthermore the
matching recognition formulas in vv. 14 and 28 suggest an overall design to the chapter,
implying that the person responsible for this arrangement of the material was purposeful
and skilful rather than clumsy.
The problem is eased slightly by the recognition that the oracle of vv. 11-14 is not strictly
speaking an interpretation of the vision (which was given to Ezekiel alone) but a response
to the complaint of the people in v. 11b: ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we
are cut off completely’. The people themselves would thus perceive no inconsistency
between the vision and the oracle. The oracle obviously relates in a general way to the
content of the vision (both vision and oracle affirm the reconstitution of the nation) but
the oracle is more a direct response to the people’s own perception of their condition than
a direct interpretation of the vision (which they have not seen). If their perception of their
condition is ‘We are dead and buried’, the response is ‘No, Yahweh will bring you up from
your graves’.
In the second part of the chapter the people actually see the symbolic action of the
prophet, and the oracle which follows (19-28) is an explicit interpretation of this action.
This oracle falls into three parts—the first and second being introduced by the same
formula, ‘Say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD”’ (vv. 19, 21), and the second and third
both ending (or nearly ending) in the same way; viz. with the covenant formula, ‘They
shall be my people and I will be their God’ (vv. 23, 27). The final part of the oracle (vv. 24-
27), 171 dealing with a new David and a new sanctuary, is less obviously related to the
symbolic action than the first two parts are, but is a natural development of the idea that
Israel will be reconstituted as one nation. The one nation idea recalls the period of the
united monarchy, when the symbols of Israel’s unity were the Davidic house and the
temple.
• The only solution for the problem of sin in human hearts is radical surgery
performed by God himself. Spiritual life comes only by the infusion of God’s Spirit.
• Yahweh’s concern for his Name. This is the basis of his action towards both Israel
and the nations (see 36:20-21, 22, 23, 31, 32). This emphasis is very strong in
Ezekiel. As Block observes, God’s actions in human history are driven by revelatory
aims: that his people and the world may know that he is Yahweh’ (p.366).
• The absolute reliability of God and his covenant promises. However things may
have appeared to the exiles and the surrounding nations, God had not abrogated
his covenant. Rather, his promises still stand and will be fulfilled.