John Gill Commentary Ezekiel 37

The hand of the Lord was upon me
The Spirit of the Lord, a powerful impulse of his upon the prophet; the Targum interprets it a spirit of prophecy; (See Gill on Ezekiel 1:3): and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord :
out of the place where he was to another; not really, but visionally, as things appeared to him, and as they were represented to his mind by the Spirit of God: and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones :
of men, as the Targum adds.

This valley, Kimchi thinks, was the same by the river Chebar, where the prophet has his visions at first. R. Jochanan says it was the valley of Dura, and these the bones of them that were slain by Nebuchadnezzar there, (Daniel 3:1). Rab says these were the children of Ephraim, slain by the men of Gath, (1 Chronicles 7:20 1 Chronicles 7:21 1 Chronicles 7:22).

Some of the Jewish Rabbins think there was a real resurrection at this time. R. Eliezer says, the dead Ezekiel quickened stood upon their feet, sung a song, and died. R. Eliezer, the son of R. Jose the Galilean, says, they went up into the land of Israel, married wives, and begat sons and daughters. R. Judah ben Bethira stood upon his feet, and said, I am of their children's children, and these are the "tephillim" my father's father left me ^F18 ; but these are all fabulous and romantic.

Others of them understand the whole in a parabolical way: these bones, and the quickening of them, were an emblem of the restoration of the Jews from their captivity, who were in a helpless and hopeless condition, as appears from (Ezekiel 37:11–14), and of the conversion of that people in the latter day, which will be as life from the dead; and of the revival of the interest and church of Christ, when the slain witnesses shall rise, and ascend to heaven; and of the resurrection of the dead at the last day; and may be applied unto and be used to illustrate the quickening of dead sinners, by the efficacious grace of the Spirit of God.

FOOTNOTES:

• F18: T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 92. 2. Vid. Kimchi & Abendana in loc.

And caused me to pass by them round about
Round, round^F19 ; several times round, that he might take exact notice of them, of their number, situation, and condition: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley ; as the Jews were in captivity; and as they will be when they shall be converted; and as the number of Christians will be in the spiritual reign of Christ; and as the dead will be at the time of their resurrection, both of the just and unjust: and, lo, they were very dry ; through length of time they had lain there, exposed to wind and weather; the flesh being wholly consumed from off of them, and the marrow within quite dried up; so that there was no probability or hope, humanly speaking, of their being quickened: these are a fit emblem of men in a state of nature and unregeneracy, who have no spiritual life, but are dead in trespasses and sins; have no sense of sin or danger; no strength to redeem and regenerate themselves, or do anything that is spiritually good; have no spiritual motion; no inward desires after God, or affection to him; no lifting up of the heart to him, or going out of the soul in faith and love to Christ; but in themselves entirely lifeless, helpless, and hopeless.

FOOTNOTES:

• F19: (bybo bybo) "circum circa", Pagninus; "undique undique", Montanus.

And he said to me, son of man, can these bones live ?

&c.] Is there any probability of it? Is there any reason to believe they shall live? Can any ways and means be devised, or any methods taken, to cause them to live?

and I answered, O Lord God, you know ;

The prophet does not pronounce at once that it was improbable and impossible; he knew indeed it was not probable, or possible, that these bones should revive of themselves; and he knew that neither he nor any creature could quicken them; but he wisely refers it to an omniscient and omnipotent God, who knew what he could and what he would do:

The conversion of sinners is not of themselves, nor of ministers, but of God; it is wholly owing to his will and power, (John 1:13) nothing else can make it probable, or possible.

Again he said to me, prophesy upon these bones
Or, "over these bones" ^F20 ; or, "concerning these bones" ^F21 ; foretell that they shall live; tell others of it, and them also: and say to them, O you dry bones, hear the word of the Lord ;
the word of prophecy concerning you, as the Jews did in Babylon: so unconverted sinners may be preached to, and their lost and miserable estate in which they are, like dry bones, may be set before them: they may be called upon to attend the external ministry of the word; and they are capable of hearing it with their bodily ears; though it is not profitable to them, for want of faith, yet faith comes hereby; and therefore it is right to attend upon the means, and hear the word.

FOOTNOTES:

• F20: (hlah twmueh le) "super ossa haec", Starckius.
• F21: "De ossibus istis", Junius & Tremellius, Polanus, Piscator.

Thus says the Lord God to these bones By the prophet, who was sent to prophesy over them: behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live; and none could do this but the living God, who breathed the breath of life into Adam at first, and he became a living soul; to which there seems to be an allusion here; and when the Lord puts his Spirit into men, or bestows his grace on them, then they shall live, and not till then.