Ezekiel 37:3
New International Version
He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”

New Living Translation
Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?” “O Sovereign LORD,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”

English Standard Version
And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?” “O Lord GOD,” I replied, “only You know.”

King James Bible
And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

New King James Version
And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.”

New American Standard Bible
Then He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “Lord GOD, You Yourself know.”

NASB 1995
He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.”

NASB 1977
And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, Thou knowest.”

Legacy Standard Bible
He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord Yahweh, You know.”

Amplified Bible
And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.”

Christian Standard Bible
Then he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live? ” I replied, “Lord GOD, only you know.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I replied, “Lord GOD, only You know.”

American Standard Version
And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord Jehovah, thou knowest.

Contemporary English Version
He said, "Ezekiel, son of man, can these bones come back to life?" I replied, "LORD God, only you can answer that."

English Revised Version
And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I answered, "Only you know, Almighty LORD."

Good News Translation
He said to me, "Mortal man, can these bones come back to life?" I replied, "Sovereign LORD, only you can answer that!"

International Standard Version
The LORD asked me, "Son of Man, will these bones ever live?" "Lord GOD," I replied, "you know the answer to that!"

Majority Standard Bible
Then He asked me, ?Son of man, can these bones come to life?? ?O Lord GOD,? I replied, ?only You know.?

NET Bible
He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said to him, "Sovereign Lord, you know."

New Heart English Bible
He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I answered, "Lord GOD, you know."

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? and I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

World English Bible
He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I answered, “Lord Yahweh, you know.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And He says to me, “Son of man, do these bones live?” And I say, “O Lord YHWH, You have known.”

Young's Literal Translation
And He saith unto me, 'Son of man, do these bones live?' And I say, 'O Lord Jehovah, Thou -- Thou hast known.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say to me, Son of man, shall these bones live? And saying, Thou Lord Jehovah knoweth.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to me: Son of man, dost thou think these bones shall live? And I answered: O Lord God, thou knowest.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said to me, “Son of man, do you think that these bones will live?” And I said, “O Lord God, you know.”

New American Bible
He asked me: Son of man, can these bones come back to life? “Lord GOD,” I answered, “you alone know that.”

New Revised Standard Version
He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O LORD God, thou knowest.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he said to me: “Son of man, are these bones living?” And I said, “You know, LORD OF LORDS!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And He said unto me: 'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered: 'O Lord GOD, Thou knowest.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he said to me, Son of man, will these bones live? and I said, O Lord God, thou knowest this.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Valley of Dry Bones
2He led me all around among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, and indeed, they were very dry. 3Then He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?” “O Lord GOD,” I replied, “only You know.” 4And He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and tell them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!…

Cross References
Jeremiah 32:27
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?

Genesis 18:14
Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”

Luke 1:37
For no word from God will ever fail.”

Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Romans 4:17
As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.

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?”

1 Corinthians 15:35-38
But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” / You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. / And what you sow is not the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something else. ...

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.

Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

Job 14:14
When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes.

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.

John 5:21
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.

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.

Acts 26:8
Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?


Treasury of Scripture

And he said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, you know.

can

John 6:5,6
When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? …

O Lord God

Deuteronomy 32:29
O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!

1 Samuel 2:6
The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

John 5:21
For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

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Alone Bones Live Possible Sovereign Thou
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Alone Bones Live Possible Sovereign Thou
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














Then He asked me,
This phrase indicates a direct communication from God to the prophet Ezekiel. In the context of Ezekiel 37, God is speaking to Ezekiel in a vision. This vision is set in a valley full of dry bones, symbolizing the spiritual and national death of Israel. The direct address highlights the personal relationship between God and His prophets, a common theme throughout the Old Testament.

“Son of man,
The term "son of man" is used frequently in the book of Ezekiel, appearing over 90 times. It emphasizes Ezekiel's humanity and his role as a representative of the people. This title is also significant in the New Testament, where Jesus often refers to Himself as the "Son of Man," linking His mission to the prophetic traditions of the Old Testament.

can these bones come to life?”
This question challenges Ezekiel's faith and understanding of God's power. The bones represent the house of Israel, which was in exile and seemingly beyond hope. The question underscores the theme of resurrection and restoration, which is central to the chapter. It also foreshadows the New Testament teachings on resurrection and eternal life, as seen in passages like John 11:25-26.

“O Lord GOD,” I replied,
Ezekiel's response begins with a recognition of God's sovereignty. The use of "Lord GOD" (Adonai Yahweh) reflects a deep reverence and acknowledgment of God's ultimate authority and power. This title is used throughout the Old Testament to denote God's covenant relationship with Israel and His supreme rule over all creation.

“only You know.”
Ezekiel's answer demonstrates humility and trust in God's wisdom and power. By acknowledging that only God knows the answer, Ezekiel expresses faith in God's ability to bring life from death. This mirrors other biblical instances where human understanding is limited, but God's knowledge and power are infinite, such as in Job 38-41. It also points to the mystery of God's plans, which are often beyond human comprehension but are ultimately for the good of His people, as seen in Romans 8:28.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet of God, Ezekiel is the son of Buzi and a priest. He is called by God to prophesy to the Israelites during their Babylonian exile.

2. The Valley of Dry Bones
This is the setting of Ezekiel's vision, a symbolic representation of the spiritual and national state of Israel at the time—lifeless and in need of revival.

3. The LORD (Yahweh)
The sovereign God who speaks to Ezekiel, asking him if the dry bones can live, highlighting God's omnipotence and sovereignty over life and death.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Omniscience
God alone knows the potential for life in what seems dead. Trust in His wisdom and timing, even when situations appear hopeless.

Faith in God's Power
Like Ezekiel, we must acknowledge that only God has the power to bring life and restoration. Our faith should rest in His ability to transform and renew.

Spiritual Revival
The vision of the dry bones serves as a metaphor for spiritual revival. Seek God for personal and communal renewal, trusting that He can breathe new life into our spiritual dryness.

Hope in Restoration
This passage offers hope for restoration, not just for Israel but for all believers. God can restore what is broken and bring life to what seems beyond repair.(3) Can these bones live?--The question is put to the prophet in order to emphasise the human impossibility of that which is immediately brought about by the Divine omnipotence. (Comp. Matthew 9:5-6.) It was precisely this teaching which the people needed. As they had formerly refused to believe his announcements of impending judgment, so now that this had come, they were utterly incredulous in regard to his declarations of future blessing. It seemed to them impossible, and what they needed to be taught was that "what is impossible with man is possible with God."

Thou knowest.--The prophet sees the natural impossibility, yet perceives that there must be some deeper reason for the question, and therefore replies in these words. It may be, too, that the question thus asked, before its object is suggested, connected itself in his mind with the thought of the literal resurrection of the dead and the difficulties it suggests.

Verse 3. - Son of man, can these bones live? Whether or not this question was directed, as Plumptre surmises, to meet despairing thoughts which had arisen in the prophet's own mind, it seems reasonable to hold, with Havernick, that the question was addressed to him as representing "ever against God the people, and certainly as to this point the natural and purely human consciousness of the same," to which Israel's restoration appeared as unlikely an occurrence as the reanimation of the withered bones that lay around. The extreme improbability, if not absolute impossibility, of the occurrence, at least to human reason and power, is perhaps pointed at in the designation "Son of man" here given to the prophet. The prophet's answer, O Lord God, thou knowest, is not to be interpreted as proving that to the prophet hitherto the thought of a resurrection had been unfamiliar, if not completely absent, or as giving a direct reply either affirmative or negative to the question proposed to him, but merely as expressing the prophet's sense of the greatness of the wonder suggested to his mind, with perhaps a latent acknowledgment that God alone had the power by which such a wonder could, and therefore alone also the knowledge whether it would, be accomplished (comp. Revelation 7:14).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then He asked
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

me,
אֵלַ֔י (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“Son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of man,
אָדָ֕ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

can these
הָאֵ֑לֶּה (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

bones
הָעֲצָמ֣וֹת (hā·‘ă·ṣā·mō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 6106: A bone, the body, the substance, selfsame

live?”
הֲתִחְיֶ֖ינָה (hă·ṯiḥ·ye·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive

“O Lord
אֲדֹנָ֥י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

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

I replied,
וָאֹמַ֕ר (wā·’ō·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“only You
אַתָּ֥ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

know.”
יָדָֽעְתָּ׃ (yā·ḏā·‘ə·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 37:3 He said to me Son of man (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 37:2
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