1Es kam über mich des Ewigen Hand er führte mich hinaus im Geist des Ewigen und setzte mich ab in der Ebene; die aber war voll von Gebeinen. 2Und ließ mich sie umschreiten ringsumher und sieh, sehr viele waren da auf der Ebene Fläche und sieh, sie waren arg gedorrt. 3Da sprach er zu mir: ,Menschensohn! Werden diese Gebeine leben?' Und ich sprach: ,Gott, Herr, du weißt es.' 4Da sprach er zu mir: ,Weissage über diese Gebeine und sprich zu ihnen: 5Ihr erdorrten Gebeine hört des Ewigen Wort! So spricht Gott, der Herr zu diesen Gebeinen: Sieh, ich bringe Odem in euch daß ihr lebt 6und ich füge an euch Sehnen laß Fleisch euch überwachsen und Haut euch überschalen und lege Odem in euch daß ihr lebt und ihr erkennt daß ich der Ewige.' 7Da weissagte ich wie mir befohlen und sieh, da war ein Rauschen als ich geweissagt und sieh, ein Rucken und es rückten die Gebeine zueinander Bein zu Bein. 8Und ich schaute und sieh, da gabs an ihnen Sehnen Fleisch wuchs Haut schalte sich auf ihnen drüber; doch Odem war nicht in ihnen. 9Und er sprach zu mir: ,Weissage dem Odem weissage, Menschensohn und sprich zum Odem: So spricht Gott, der Herr: Von den vier Winden, Odem, komm und hauch hinein in die Erschlagnen da damit sie leben!' 10Und ich weissagte wie er mir befohlen. Und es fuhr in sie der Odem und sie lebten und standen auf ihren Füßen ein sehr, sehr großes Heer. 11Und er sprach zu mir: ,Menschensohn! Diese Gebeine sind das ganze Haus Jisraël. Sieh, sie sprechen: Erdorrt sind unsre Gebeine verloren unser Hoffen; zerstückt sind wir. 12Weissage drum und sprich zu ihnen: So spricht Gott, der Herr: Sieh, ich öffne eure Grüfte heb euch herauf aus euren Gräbern mein Volk und bringe euch zu Jisraëls Boden. 13Und ihr erkennt, daß ich der Ewige wenn ich eure Grüfte öffne euch hebe aus euren Gräbern mein Volk. 14Und ich tu meinen Odem in euch daß ihr lebt setz euch auf euren Boden und ihr erkennt, daß ich, der Ewige geredet und getan ist des Ewigen Spruch.' 15Und es erging das Wort des Ewigen an mich, besagend: 16,Du aber, Menschensohn, nimm dir ein Holz und schreibe drauf: Für Jehuda und für die Kinder Jisraël, seine Genossen, und nimm noch ein Holz und schreibe darauf: Für Josef - Holz Efraims - und das ganze Haus Jisraël, seine Genossen. 17Und bringe sie heran, das eine an das andere, dir zu einem Holz, daß sie ein Einziges werden in deiner Hand. 18Und wenn nun die Söhne deines Volkes zu dir sprechen: Willst du uns nicht kundtun, was diese dir sollen? 19so rede zu ihnen: So spricht Gott der Herr: Sieh, ich nehme das Holz Josefs, das für Efraim und die Stämme Jisraëls, seine Genossen, ist, und ich füge zu ihnen daran das Holz Jehudas und mache sie zu einem Holz, daß sie ein Einziges sind in meiner Hand. 20Es sollen aber die Hölzer, auf die du mit deiner Hand schreibst, vor ihren Augen sein. 21Und rede zu ihnen: So spricht Gott, der Herr: Sieh, ich nehme die Kinder Jisraël mitten aus den Völkern, dahin sie gezogen, und sammle sie ringsher und bringe sie auf ihren Boden. 22Und ich mache sie zu einem Volk im Land, auf Jisraëls Bergen, und ein König soll ihnen allen König sein, und nicht mehr sollen sie zu zwei Völkern werden und nimmermehr sich fortan spalten zu zwei Reichen. 23Und sie sollen sich nicht mehr beflecken mit ihren Götzen und Scheusalen und allen ihren Missetaten; und ich will ihnen Hilfe schaffen an allen ihren Wohnstätten, an denen sie gesündigt, und will sie reinigen, und sie sollen mir zum Volk werden, und ich will ihnen Gott sein. 24Und mein Knecht Dawid soll König sein über sie, und ein Hirt sei für sie alle, und sie sollen in meinen Rechtsvorschriften wandeln und meine Satzungen wahren und sie üben. 25Und sie werden in dem Land wohnen, das ich meinem Knecht Jakob gegeben, darin eure Väter gewohnt haben, sie werden darauf bleiben, sie und ihre Kinder und Kindeskinder für ewig, und Dawid, mein Knecht, sei ihnen Fürst für immer. 26Und ich stifte ihnen einen Bund des Friedens, ein ewiger Bund soll es mit ihnen sein, den gebe ich ihnen, und ich mehre sie und setze mein Heiligtum in ihre Mitte für immer. 27Und es soll meine Wohnstatt bei ihnen sein, ich will ihnen Gott, und sie sollen mir Volk sein, 28und erkennen sollen die Völker, daß ich, der Ewige, Jisraël heilige, wenn mein Heiligtum in ihrer Mitte ist für immer.'
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE VISION OF DRY BONES REVIVIFIED, SYMBOLIZING ISRAEL'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION. (Eze. 37:1-28)
carried . . . in the spirit--The matters transacted, therefore, were not literal, but in vision.
the valley--probably that by the Chebar (
Иез 3:22). The valley represents Mesopotamia, the scene of Israel's sojourn in her state of national deadness.
2 dry--bleached by long exposure to the atmosphere.
3 can these bones live? . . . thou knowest--implying that, humanly speaking, they could not; but faith leaves the question of possibility to rest with God, with whom nothing is impossible (
Втор 32:39). An image of Christian faith which believes in the coming general resurrection of the dead, in spite of all appearances against it, because God has said it (
Ин 5:21;
Рим 4:17;
2Кор 1:9).
4 Prophesy--Proclaim God's quickening word to them. On account of this innate power of the divine word to effect its end, prophets are said to do that which they prophesy as about to be done (
Иер 1:10).
5 I . . . cause breath to enter into you--So
Ис 26:19, containing the same vision, refers primarily to Israel's restoration. Compare as to God's renovation of the earth and all its creatures hereafter by His breath,
Псал 104:30.
ye shall live--come to life again.
6 ye shall know that I am the Lord--by the actual proof of My divinity which I will give in reviving Israel.
7 noise--of the bones when coming in mutual collision. Perhaps referring to the decree of Cyrus, or the noise of the Jews' exultation at their deliverance and return.
bones came together--literally, "ye bones came together"; as in
Иер 49:11 (Hebrew), "ye widows of thine shall trust in Me." The second person puts the scene vividly before one's eyes, for the whole resurrection scene is a prophecy in action to render more palpably to the people the prophecy in word (
Иез 37:21).
8 So far, they were only cohering in order as unsightly skeletons. The next step, that of covering them successively with sinews, skin, and flesh, gives them beauty; but still "no breath" of life in them. This may imply that Israel hereafter, as at the restoration from Babylon was the case in part, shall return to Judea unconverted at first (
Зах 13:8-
Зах 13:9). Spiritually: a man may assume all the semblances of spiritual life, yet have none, and so be dead before God.
9 wind--rather, the spirit of life or life-breath (Margin). For it is distinct from "the four winds" from which it is summoned.
from the four winds--implying that Israel is to be gathered from the four quarters of the earth (
Ис 43:5-
Ис 43:6;
Иер 31:8), even as they were "scattered into all the winds" (
Иез 5:10;
Иез 12:14;
Иез 17:21; compare
Откр 7:1,
Откр 7:4).
10 Such honor God gives to the divine word, even in the mouth of a man. How much more when in the mouth of the Son of God! (
Ин 5:25-
Ин 5:29). Though this chapter does not directly prove the resurrection of the dead, it does so indirectly; for it takes for granted the future fact as one recognized by believing Jews, and so made the image of their national restoration (so
Ис 25:8;
Ис 26:19;
Дан 12:2;
Ос 6:2;
Ос 13:14; compare Note, see on
Иез 37:12).
11 Our bones are dried-- (
Псал 141:7), explained by "our hope is lost" (
Ис 49:14); our national state is as hopeless of resuscitation, as marrowless bones are of reanimation.
cut off for our parts--that is, so far as we are concerned. There is nothing in us to give hope, like a withered branch "cut off" from a tree, or a limb from the body.
12 my people--in antithesis to "for our parts" (
Иез 37:11). The hope that is utterly gone, if looking at themselves, is sure for them in God, because He regards them as His people. Their covenant relation to God ensures His not letting death permanently reign over them. Christ makes the same principle the ground on which the literal resurrection rests. God had said, "I am the God of Abraham," &c.; God, by taking the patriarchs as His, undertook to do for them all that Omnipotence can perform: He, being the ever living God, is necessarily the God of, not dead, but living persons, that is, of those whose bodies His covenant love binds Him to raise again. He can--and because He can--He will--He must [FAIRBAIRN]. He calls them "My people" when receiving them into favor; but "thy people," in addressing His servant, as if He would put them away from Him (
Иез 13:17;
Иез 33:2;
Исх 32:7).
out of your graves--out of your politically dead state, primarily in Babylon, finally hereafter in all lands (compare
Иез 6:8;
Ос 13:14). The Jews regarded the lands of their captivity and dispersion as their "graves"; their restoration was to be as "life from the dead" (
Рим 11:15). Before, the bones were in the open plain (
Иез 37:1-
Иез 37:2); now, in the graves, that is, some of the Jews were in the graves of actual captivity, others at large but dispersed. Both alike were nationally dead.
16 stick--alluding to
Чис 17:2, the tribal rod. The union of the two rods was a prophecy in action of the brotherly union which is to reunite the ten tribes and Judah. As their severance under Jeroboam was fraught with the greatest evil to the covenant-people, so the first result of both being joined by the spirit of life to God is that they become joined to one another under the one covenant King, Messiah-David.
Judah, and . . . children of Israel his companions--that is, Judah and, besides Benjamin and Levi, those who had joined themselves to him of Ephraim, Manasseh, Simeon, Asher, Zebulun, Issachar, as having the temple and lawful priesthood in his borders (
2Пар 11:12-13,
2Пар 11:16;
2Пар 15:9;
2Пар 30:11,
2Пар 30:18). The latter became identified with Judah after the carrying away of the ten tribes, and returned with Judah from Babylon, and so shall be associated with that tribe at the future restoration.
For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim--Ephraim's posterity took the lead, not only of the other descendants of Joseph (compare
Иез 37:19), but of the ten tribes of Israel. For four hundred years, during the period of the judges, with Manasseh and Benjamin, its dependent tribes, it had formerly taken the lead: Shiloh was its religious capital; Shechem, its civil capital. God had transferred the birthright from Reuben (for dishonoring his father's bed) to Joseph, whose representative, Ephraim, though the younger, was made (
Быт 48:19;
1Пар 5:1). From its pre-eminence "Israel" is attached to it as "companions." The "all" in this case, not in that of Judah, which has only attached as "companions" the children of Israel" (that is, some of them, namely, those who followed the fortunes of Judah), implies that the bulk of the ten tribes did not return at the restoration from Babylon, but are distinct from Judah, until the coming union with it at the restoration.
18 God does not explain the symbolical prophecy until the Jews have been stimulated by the type to consult the prophet.
19 The union effected at the restoration from Babylon embraced but comparatively few of Israel; a future complete fulfilment must therefore be looked for.
stick of Joseph . . . in the hand of Ephraim--Ephraim, of the descendants of Joseph, had exercised the rule among the ten tribes: that rule, symbolized by the "stick," was now to be withdrawn from him, and to be made one with the other, Judah's rule, in God's hand.
them--the "stick of Joseph," would strictly require "it"; but Ezekiel expresses the sense, namely, the ten tribes who were subject to it.
with him--that is, Judah; or "it," that is, the stick of Judah.
22 one nation-- (
Ис 11:13;
Иер 3:18;
Ос 1:11).
one king--not Zerubbabel, who was not a king either in fact or name, and who ruled over but a few Jews, and that only for a few years; whereas the King here reigns for ever. MESSIAH is meant (
Иез 34:23-
Иез 34:24). The union of Judah and Israel under King Messiah symbolizes the union of Jews and Gentiles under Him, partly now, perfectly hereafter (
Иез 37:24;
Ин 10:16).
23 (
Иез 36:25).
out of . . . their dwelling-places-- (
Иез 36:28,
Иез 36:33). I will remove them from the scene of their idolatries to dwell in their own land, and to serve idols no more.
24 David--Messiah (See on
Иез 34:23-
Иез 34:24).
25 for ever-- (
Ис 60:21;
Иоил 3:20;
Амос 9:15).
26 covenant of peace--better than the old legal covenant, because an unchangeable covenant of grace (
Иез 34:25;
Ис 55:3;
Иер 32:40).
I will place them--set them in an established position; no longer unsettled as heretofore.
my sanctuary--the temple of God; spiritual in the heart of all true followers of Messiah (
2Кор 6:16); and, in some "literal" sense, in the restored Israel (Eze. 40:1-44:31).
27 My tabernacle . . . with them--as foretold (
Быт 9:27);
Ин 1:14, "The Word . . . dwelt among us" (literally, "tabernacled"); first, in humiliation; hereafter, in manifested glory (
Откр 21:3).
28 (
Иез 36:23).
sanctify Israel--set it apart as holy unto Myself and inviolable (
Исх 19:5-
Исх 19:6).
The objections to a literal interpretation of the prophecy are--(1) The ideal nature of the name Gog, which is the root of Magog, the only kindred name found in Scripture or history. (2) The nations congregated are selected from places most distant from Israel, and from one another, and therefore most unlikely to act in concert (Persians and Libyans, &c.). (3) The whole spoil of Israel could not have given a handful to a tithe of their number, or maintained the myriads of invaders a single day (
Иез 38:12-
Иез 38:13). (4) The wood of their invaders' weapons was to serve for fuel to Israel for seven years! And all Israel were to take seven months in burying the dead! Supposing a million of Israelites to bury each two corpses a day, the aggregate buried in the hundred eighty working days of the seven months would be three hundred sixty millions of corpses! Then the pestilential vapors from such masses of victims before they were all buried! What Israelite could live in such an atmosphere? (5) The scene of the Lord's controversy here is different from that in
Ис 34:6, Edom, which creates a discrepancy. (But probably a different judgment is alluded to). (6) The gross carnality of the representation of God's dealings with His adversaries is inconsistent with Messianic times. It therefore requires a non-literal interpretation. The prophetical delineations of the divine principles of government are thrown into the familiar forms of Old Testament relations. The final triumph of Messiah's truth over the most distant and barbarous nations is represented as a literal conflict on a gigantic scale, Israel being the battlefield, ending in the complete triumph of Israel's anointed King, the Saviour of the world. It is a prophetical parable [FAIRBAIRN]. However, though the details are not literal, the distinctiveness in this picture, characterizing also parallel descriptions in writers less ideally picturesque than Ezekiel, gives probability to a more definite and generally literal interpretation. The awful desolations caused in Judea by Antiochus Epiphanes, of Syria (1 Maccabees; and PORPHYRY, quoted by JEROME on Ezekiel), his defilement of Jehovah's temple by sacrificing swine and sprinkling the altar with the broth, and setting up the altar of Jupiter Olympius, seem to be an earnest of the final desolations to be caused by Antichrist in Israel, previous to His overthrow by the Lord Himself, coming to reign (compare Dan. 8:10-26;
Дан 11:21-
Дан 11:45;
Дан 12:1;
Зах 13:9;
Зах 14:2-
Зах 14:3). GROTIUS explains Gog as a name taken from Gyges, king of Lydia; and Magog as Syria, in which was a city called Magag [PLINY, 5.28]. What Ezekiel stated more generally,
Откр 20:7-
Откр 20:9 states more definitely as to the anti-Christian confederacy which is to assail the beloved city.