Ezekiel 37:16 NIV

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezekiel 37:16-17

Ezekiel 37:16-17. Take thee one stick That is, one rod. The expression seems to allude to Numbers 17:2; where Moses was commanded to take twelve rods, one for each tribe, and to write the name of the tribe upon the rod; for Judah, and the children of Israel his companions That is, the tribe of Benjamin, and a part of that of Levi, who adhered to the tribe of Judah. Then take another stick A second, such as the first was; and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim Upon... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 37:1-28

The nation revived and reunited (37:1-28)With Jerusalem destroyed and the people in exile, Israel’s national life had come to an end. To Ezekiel it appeared as if a great army had been slaughtered in battle and the bodies of the dead left to rot in the sun. All that was left was a lot of dry bones. Israel’s condition appeared to be beyond hope (37:1-3).God now promises Ezekiel that he will do the impossible. He will bring Israel back to life - as if he brings the scattered bones together, puts... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ezekiel 37:16

stick. Hebrew "wood": put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for anything made of it. children = sons, companions: i.e. Benjamin and Levi. Hebrew text reads "companion" (singular); but margin, with some codices and one early printed edition, reads "companions" (plural) Joseph. Who held the primogeniture of the other tribes (1 Chronicles 6:1 ), forfeited by Reuben; and was represented by Ephraim, the head of the ten tribes. Compare 1 Kings 11:26 , Isaiah 11:13 .Jeremiah 31:6 .... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ezekiel 37:16

Ezekiel 37:16. Take thee one stick, &c.— Take—and write upon it, Judah, and the children of Israel, &c. Then—Joseph, the stick Ephraim, and of all the house, &c. The design of this metaphorical action was to mark out the reunion of the tribes, after the return from Babylon; but, in a more elevated sense, the assemblage, not only of the Jews of all the tribes, but also of the people of all nations, to the church of Jesus Christ. See Rom 11:17-18 the subsequent verses of this chapter,... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Ezekiel 37:16

16. stick—alluding to :-, 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... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ezekiel 37:15-17

The Lord also commanded Ezekiel to take two sticks (or tablets; cf. Zechariah 11:7-14). He was to write on one of them "For Judah and for the sons of Israel, Judah’s companions." He was to write on the other stick "For Joseph and for the sons of Ephraim, Joseph’s companions." One stick represented the Jews of the Southern Kingdom of Judah and the other the Jews of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Ezekiel was then to join the two sticks together in his hand end to end so they appeared to be one... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ezekiel 37:15-28

5. Reunification in the Promised Land 37:15-28 read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 37:1-28

The Revival and Reunion of IseaelFrom the future of the land Ezekiel now turns to that of the nation, long ago divided by the revolt of the Ten Tribes, and now seemingly extinct. The exiles feel themselves to be but its scattered bones (Ezekiel 37:11). In a striking and beautiful vision, suggested no doubt by this current saying, Ezekiel predicts that the dead nation will come to life again (Ezekiel 37:1-14), and by a symbolic action he represents the coming reunion of the rival kingdoms of... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ezekiel 37:16

(16) One stick . . . another stick.—These are not rods, as in Numbers 17:6-9, although Ezekiel may have had that event in mind; the word here is an entirely different one, and means simply a piece of wood. The two pieces were, no doubt, so shaped that being firmly held together they would appear as one.For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions.—The object is to represent by the two pieces of wood the two kingdoms. It would be insufficient, therefore, to mention Judah only; for... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Ezekiel 37:1-28

Ezekiel 37:2 Dean Stanley, in the introduction to his Eastern Church, observes: 'It is sometimes said, that of all historical studies that of Ecclesiastical History is the most repulsive. We seem to be set down in the valley of the Prophet's vision strewn with bones, and behold they are very many and very dry: skeletons of creeds, of churches, of institutions; trodden and traversed by the feet of travellers again and again; craters of extinct volcanoes, which once filled the world with their... read more