Ezekiel 37:12
New International Version
Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

New Living Translation
Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

English Standard Version
Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel.

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O My people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

King James Bible
Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

New King James Version
Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am going to open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

NASB 1995
“Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

NASB 1977
“Therefore prophesy, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

Amplified Bible
Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will open your graves and make you come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you [back home] to the land of Israel.

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, prophesy and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them, my people, and lead you into the land of Israel.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, prophesy and say to them: This is what the Lord GOD says: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them, My people, and lead you into the land of Israel.

American Standard Version
Therefore prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, O my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

Contemporary English Version
So tell them, "I, the LORD God, promise to open your graves and set you free. I will bring you back to Israel,

English Revised Version
Therefore prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, O my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So prophesy. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: My people, I will open your graves and take you out of them. I will bring you to Israel.

Good News Translation
So prophesy to my people Israel and tell them that I, the Sovereign LORD, am going to open their graves. I am going to take them out and bring them back to the land of Israel.

International Standard Version
"Therefore prophesy to them, and tell them, 'Watch me! I'm going to open your graves, lift you out of those graves, and bring my people back into the land of Israel.

Majority Standard Bible
Therefore prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ?O My people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

NET Bible
Therefore prophesy, and tell them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: Look, I am about to open your graves and will raise you from your graves, my people. I will bring you to the land of Israel.

New Heart English Bible
Therefore prophesy, and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: Look, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

World English Bible
Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Therefore, prophesy, and you have said to them, Thus said Lord YHWH: Behold, I am opening your graves, "" And have brought you up out of your graves, O My people, "" And brought you into the land of Israel.

Young's Literal Translation
Therefore, prophesy, and thou hast said unto them, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I am opening your graves, And have brought you up out of your graves, O My people, And brought you in unto the land of Israel.

Smith's Literal Translation
For this, prophesy and say to them, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I opened your graves and brought you up from your graves, O my people, and I brought you to the land of Israel.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore prophesy, and say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will open your graves, and will bring you out of your sepulchres, O my people: and will bring you into the land of Israel.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Because of this, prophesy, and you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your tombs, and I will lead you away from your sepulchers, O my people. And I will lead you into the land of Israel.

New American Bible
Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: Look! I am going to open your graves; I will make you come up out of your graves, my people, and bring you back to the land of Israel.

New Revised Standard Version
Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the LORD God: Behold, I will open your graves and bring you up out of them and bring you into the land of Israel.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because of this, prophesy, and say to them: ‘Thus says THE LORD OF LORDS: behold, I open your graves and I bring you up from your graves, and I bring you to the land of Israel
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Therefore prophesy, and say unto them: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, O My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will open your tombs, and will bring you up out of your tombs, and will bring you into the land of Israel.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Valley of Dry Bones
11Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ 12Therefore prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O My people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13Then you, My people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.…

Cross References
John 5:28-29
Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice / and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

1 Corinthians 15:52-54
in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. / For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. / When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

Romans 8:11
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.

Daniel 12:2
And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Isaiah 26:19
Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust! For your dew is like the dew of the morning, and the earth will bring forth her dead.

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. / And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Revelation 20:12-13
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. / The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.

1 Thessalonians 4:16
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise.

Matthew 27:52-53
The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. / After Jesus’ resurrection, when they had come out of the tombs, they entered the holy city and appeared to many people.

Hosea 13:14
I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from Death. Where, O Death, are your plagues? Where, O Sheol, is your sting? Compassion is hidden from My eyes.

Philippians 3:21
who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

Acts 24:15
and I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

Isaiah 66:14
When you see, you will rejoice, and you will flourish like grass; then the hand of the LORD will be revealed to His servants, but His wrath will be shown to His enemies.

John 6:39-40
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. / For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Revelation 21:4
‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”


Treasury of Scripture

Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus said the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

Therefore.

Job 35:14,15
Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him…

I will open.

Ezekiel 26:9
And he shall set engines of war against thy walls, and with his axes he shall break down thy towers.

Ezekiel 11:15
Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the LORD: unto us is this land given in possession.

Ezekiel 37:21
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

Isaiah 26:19
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

and bring

Ezekiel 37:25
And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

Ezekiel 28:25
Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.

Ezekiel 36:24
For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

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Ezekiel 37
1. By the resurrection of dry bones
11. the dead hope of Israel is revived
15. By the uniting of two sticks
18. is shown the incorporation of Israel into Judah
21. The promises of Christ's kingdom














Therefore prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says:
This phrase introduces a divine command given to the prophet Ezekiel. The role of a prophet in the Old Testament was to be a mouthpiece for God, delivering His messages to the people. This underscores the authority and authenticity of the message, as it originates from the Lord GOD, emphasizing His sovereignty and power. The use of "therefore" connects this prophecy to the preceding vision of the dry bones, symbolizing the restoration of Israel.

‘O My people,
This phrase highlights the covenant relationship between God and the Israelites. Despite their exile and spiritual deadness, God still claims them as His own. This reflects the enduring nature of God's promises and His faithfulness to His chosen people, even when they are unfaithful.

I will open your graves and bring you up from them,
This imagery of opening graves and resurrection is symbolic of the restoration and revival of the nation of Israel. It signifies a return from exile and a renewal of life and hope. The concept of resurrection here can also be seen as a foreshadowing of the New Testament resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life for believers. It connects to other biblical themes of deliverance and redemption, such as the Israelites' exodus from Egypt.

and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
This promise of return to the land is central to the hope of the exiled Israelites. The land of Israel is not just a physical location but a symbol of God's promise and blessing. Historically, the return from Babylonian exile fulfilled this prophecy in part, but it also points to a future, ultimate restoration. This return is a type of the greater spiritual restoration found in Christ, who brings believers into the "promised land" of eternal life. The land is a recurring theme in the Bible, representing God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises to Abraham and his descendants.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet of God during the Babylonian exile, tasked with delivering God's messages to the Israelites.

2. The Israelites
God's chosen people, who are in exile in Babylon at the time of this prophecy.

3. The Graves
Symbolic of the Israelites' current state of despair and hopelessness in exile.

4. The Land of Israel
The promised land, representing restoration and hope for the Israelites.

5. The Lord GOD
The sovereign God who promises to restore His people.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Faithfulness
God is sovereign over life and death, and His promises are sure. He is faithful to restore His people, even from the depths of despair.

Hope in Exile
Just as the Israelites were promised restoration, believers today can find hope in God's promises during times of personal exile or hardship.

Spiritual Resurrection
The physical restoration of Israel points to the greater spiritual resurrection available through Christ, offering new life to all who believe.

The Power of Prophecy
Ezekiel's role as a prophet highlights the power of God's word to bring about change and restoration. Believers are called to speak truth and life into situations of despair.

Restoration and Return
God's promise to bring His people back to their land is a reminder of His ultimate plan to restore all creation and bring His people into eternal fellowship with Him.(12) Open your graves.--In Ezekiel 37:2 it is said that the bones were "in the open valley," literally, upon the face of the valley. This was a necessity of the vision, in order that they might be seen; now the people, whom the bones represented, are spoken of as in graves, since this was the normal and proper place for the dead.

Verses 12-14. - I will open your graves. That this is not exact interpretation of the foregoing symbol may be argued from the fact that in the vision no mention is made of graves; yet the discrepancy to which it is supposed to point is more apparent than real. If the prophet was to see the bones, it was requisite that these should be above ground rather than beneath. On the other hand, when one speaks of a grave, it is not needful to always think of an underground tomb. To all intents and purposes a person is in his grave when, life being extinct, his body has returned to the dust. So, the opening of graves promised in Scripture is not so much, or always, the cleaving asunder of material sepulchers, as the bringing back to life of those whose bodies have returned to the dust. Hence the opening of Israel's graves could only signify the reawakening of the politically and religiously dead people to national and spiritual life. This was the first step in the restoration of the future held up before the minds of the despairing people. The second, indicated by the clause, and allah put my Spirit in you, pointed, as in Ezekiel 36:26, 27, to their future endowment with higher moral and spiritual life than they had previously possessed, and not merely, as in vers. 5, 6, to their political and national resuscitation (Smend). The last step, the re-establishment of the reconstructed nation in Palestine, was guaranteed by the word, I will place you in your own land. The circumstance that this is twice repeated (vers. 12, 14) shows that whatever view be entertained of the ultimate occupation of Canaan by Israel, this was the goal towards which the vision looked. That it received partial, limited, and temporary fulfillment of a literal kind in the restoration under Zerubbabel and Ezra, is undeniable; that it will ever obtain historical realization of a permanent sort is doubtful; that it will eventually find its highest significance when God's spiritual Israel, the Church of Christ, takes possession of the heavenly Canaan, is one of the clearest and surest announcements of Scripture. NOTE. - On the above nine verses (6-14) Plumptre writes, "We can scarcely fail to find, in our Lord's words in John 5, something like an echo of Ezekiel's teaching. There also, though the truth of the general resurrection is declared more clearly, the primary thought is that of a spiritual resurrection. Further, we may note that the complement of Ezekiel's message is found in the language of Daniel 12:2. Taking the two together, we find both reproduced in the teaching of John 5." (manuscript notes).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Therefore
לָכֵן֩ (lā·ḵên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

prophesy
הִנָּבֵ֨א (hin·nā·ḇê)
Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 5012: To prophesy, speak, by inspiration

and tell
וְאָמַרְתָּ֜ (wə·’ā·mar·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

them
אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם (’ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

that this is what
כֹּֽה־ (kōh-)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

the Lord
אֲדֹנָ֣י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

GOD
יְהוִה֒ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

says:
אָמַר֮ (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘O
הִנֵּה֩ (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

My people,
עַמִּ֑י (‘am·mî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

I
אֲנִ֨י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

will open
פֹתֵ֜חַ (p̄ō·ṯê·aḥ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6605: To open wide, to loosen, begin, plough, carve

your graves
קִבְרֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם (qiḇ·rō·w·ṯê·ḵem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 6913: A grave, sepulcher

and bring you up
וְהַעֲלֵיתִ֥י (wə·ha·‘ă·lê·ṯî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

from
אֶתְכֶ֛ם (’eṯ·ḵem)
Direct object marker | second person masculine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

them,
מִקִּבְרוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם (miq·qiḇ·rō·w·ṯê·ḵem)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 6913: A grave, sepulcher

and I will bring you back
וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י (wə·hê·ḇê·ṯî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the land
אַדְמַ֥ת (’aḏ·maṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 127: Ground, land

of Israel.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 37:12 Therefore prophesy and tell them Thus says (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 37:11
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