Ezekiel 37:2

2 He led me around and among them - a lot of bones! There were bones all over the plain - dry bones, bleached by the sun.

Ezekiel 37:2 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 37:2

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.

Ezekiel 37:2 In-Context

1 God grabbed me. God's Spirit took me up and sat me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones.
2 He led me around and among them - a lot of bones! There were bones all over the plain - dry bones, bleached by the sun.
3 He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "Master God, only you know that."
4 He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones: 'Dry bones, listen to the Message of God!'"
5 God, the Master, told the dry bones, "Watch this: I'm bringing the breath of life to you and you'll come to life.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.