371 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley ; and it was full of bones . 2 He caused me to pass among them round about , and behold , there were very many on the surface of the valley ; and lo , they were very dry . 3 He said to me, "Son of man , can these bones live ?" And I answered , "O Lord GOD , You know ." 4 Again He said to me, " Prophesy over these bones and say to them, 'O dry bones , hear the word of the Lord .' 5 "Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones , 'Behold , I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life . 6 'I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive ; and you will know that I am the Lord .' " 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded ; and as I prophesied , there was a noise , and behold , a rattling ; and the bones came together , bone to its bone . 8 And I looked , and behold , sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered e them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath , prophesy , son of man , and say to the breath , 'Thus says the Lord GOD , "Come from the four winds , O breath , and breathe on these slain , that they come to life .""'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 37:1-9
Commentary on Ezekiel 37:1-14
(Read Ezekiel 37:1-14)
No created power could restore human bones to life. God alone could cause them to live. Skin and flesh covered them, and the wind was then told to blow upon these bodies; and they were restored to life. The wind was an emblem of the Spirit of God, and represented his quickening powers. The vision was to encourage the desponding Jews; to predict both their restoration after the captivity, and also their recovery from their present and long-continued dispersion. It was also a clear intimation of the resurrection of the dead; and it represents the power and grace of God, in the conversion of the most hopeless sinners to himself. Let us look to Him who will at last open our graves, and bring us forth to judgment, that He may now deliver us from sin, and put his Spirit within us, and keep us by his power, through faith, unto salvation.