The revival of Israel
In the second half of Chapter 37, along with Yechezkel’s prophecies of revival, there is an additional element, unmentioned until this point: the future unification of the exiles of Israel with the exiles of Yehuda. The Navi now speaks of the kingdom of Israel - which had been exiled by the Assyrian kingdom almost 150 years ago - and when the time comes, these exiles too will return to the land, along with the exiles of Yehuda who are in Bavel.
This is rather surprising. Up until now, Yechezkel has not mentioned the exiles of Israel. Moreover, the people’s questioning of their status in exile (see Ch. 36), arose from the fact that as, as far as we know, the exiles of Israel, unlike the exiles of Yehuda, did not live in exile as a community with a separate, independent identity. The prevailing philosophy among them was the pagan world-view that assumed that as well as obeying the local administration, exiled groups would also show loyalty to the local deity. Therefore, this prophecy concerning the reunification of the kingdom of Israel with the kingdom of Yehuda is both a notable and significant development.
The people did not believe that they would ever recover - would ever be part of a sovereign Jewish nation again.
(יא) וַיֹּ֘אמֶר֮ אֵלַי֒ בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הָעֲצָמ֣וֹת הָאֵ֔לֶּה כׇּל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵ֑מָּה הִנֵּ֣ה אֹמְרִ֗ים יָבְשׁ֧וּ עַצְמוֹתֵ֛ינוּ וְאָבְדָ֥ה תִקְוָתֵ֖נוּ נִגְזַ֥רְנוּ לָֽנוּ׃
(11) And I was told, “O mortal, these bones are the whole House of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone; we are doomed.’
(ג) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הֲתִֽחְיֶ֖ינָה הָעֲצָמ֣וֹת הָאֵ֑לֶּה וָאֹמַ֕ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה יָדָֽעְתָּ׃
(3) I was asked, “O mortal, can these bones live again?” I replied, “O my Sovereign GOD, only You know.”
Forced to direct the question to HaShem, Yechezkel recognizes that the mere presence of bones does not suffice to point to the nation’s future.
While human bones can be discovered many years after the person has died, when they are already completely desiccated and devoid of all vitality; their condition may make identification impossible such that one cannot know whose bones these were. [So, if an individual cannot be identified, then a nation can also not be identified as a separate nation?]
But the state of these bones is different. Despite the very long time that has passed, the bones are identifiable: they are the bones of the house of Israel. It turns out that the 150 years that have passed since the exile of the Kingdom of Israel are not proof of their annihilation, and the nation receives a Divine promise of Divine revival:
(יב) לָכֵן֩ הִנָּבֵ֨א וְאָמַרְתָּ֜ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם כֹּה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִה֒ הִנֵּה֩ אֲנִ֨י פֹתֵ֜חַ אֶת־קִבְרֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם וְהַעֲלֵיתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִקִּבְרוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם עַמִּ֑י וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֶל־אַדְמַ֥ת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(12) Prophesy, therefore, and say to them: Thus said the Sovereign GOD: I am going to open your graves and lift you out of the graves, O My people, and bring you to the land of Israel.
Two nations
Like many other prophecies in Sefer Yechezkel, here too both metaphor and meaning are intertwined. The prophet compares the two kingdoms to two separate pieces of wood, which in the future will again become one:
(טו) וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ (טז) וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם קַח־לְךָ֙ עֵ֣ץ אֶחָ֔ד וּכְתֹ֤ב עָלָיו֙ לִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וְלִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל חֲבֵרָ֑ו וּלְקַח֙ עֵ֣ץ אֶחָ֔ד וּכְת֣וֹב עָלָ֗יו לְיוֹסֵף֙ עֵ֣ץ אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְכׇל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל חֲבֵרָֽו׃
(15) The word of GOD came to me: (16) And you, O mortal, take a stick and write on it, “Of Judah and the Israelites associated with him”; and take another stick and write on it, “Of Joseph—the stick of Ephraim—and all the House of Israel associated with him.”
(א) ואתה בן אדם קח לך עץ אחד וגו'. וכתוב עליו ליהודה ולבני ישראל חבריו. ארבע תיבות הללו כתוב עליו לאמר עץ זה ליהודה ולשבט בנימין שנלוה עליו: (ב) ולקח עץ אחד וכתיב עליו. זה ליוסף עץ אפרי' ושאר תשעה שבטים שהיו אחרי ירבע' שהיו משבט אפרי':
(1) And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick and write upon it, ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel his companions’ These four words write upon it, to say that this stick is Judah’s and the tribe of Benjamin’s, who joined him. (2) and take one stick and write upon it This is for Joseph: the stick of Ephraim and the remaining nine tribes, which followed Jeroboam, who was of the tribe of Ephraim.
(יז) וְקָרַ֨ב אֹתָ֜ם אֶחָ֧ד אֶל־אֶחָ֛ד לְךָ֖ לְעֵ֣ץ אֶחָ֑ד וְהָי֥וּ לַאֲחָדִ֖ים בְּיָדֶֽךָ׃
(17) Bring them close to each other, so that they become one stick, joined together in your hand.
But, the people act in disbelief. The response is evidence that the reunification of the Jewish people is unexpected. So, the Navi doubles down and states his message explicitly:
(יח) וְכַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ יֹאמְר֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ בְּנֵ֥י עַמְּךָ֖ לֵאמֹ֑ר הֲלֽוֹא־תַגִּ֥יד לָ֖נוּ מָה־אֵ֥לֶּה לָּֽךְ׃ (יט) דַּבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם כֹּה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִה֒ הִנֵּה֩ אֲנִ֨י לֹקֵ֜חַ אֶת־עֵ֤ץ יוֹסֵף֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיַד־אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְשִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל חֲבֵרָ֑ו וְנָתַתִּי֩ אוֹתָ֨ם עָלָ֜יו אֶת־עֵ֣ץ יְהוּדָ֗ה וַֽעֲשִׂיתִם֙ לְעֵ֣ץ אֶחָ֔ד וְהָי֥וּ אֶחָ֖ד בְּיָדִֽי׃ (כ) וְהָי֨וּ הָעֵצִ֜ים אֲֽשֶׁר־תִּכְתֹּ֧ב עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם בְּיָדְךָ֖ לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃
(18) And when any of your people ask you, “Won’t you tell us what these actions of yours mean?” (19) answer them, “Thus said the Sovereign GOD: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in the hand of Ephraim—and of the tribes of Israel associated with him, and I will place the stick of Judah upon it and make them into one stick; they shall be joined in My hand.” (20) You shall hold up before their eyes the sticks that you have inscribed,
Now, Yechezkel is even more clear by integrating the idea of reunification as a single kingdom – an element that was not mentioned in his earlier prophecies of revival:
(כא) וְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם כֹּה־אָמַר֮ אדני יהוה הִנֵּ֨ה אֲנִ֤י לֹקֵ֙חַ֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִבֵּ֥ין הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָֽלְכוּ־שָׁ֑ם וְקִבַּצְתִּ֤י אֹתָם֙ מִסָּבִ֔יב וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י אוֹתָ֖ם אֶל־אַדְמָתָֽם׃ (כב) וְעָשִׂ֣יתִי אֹ֠תָ֠ם לְג֨וֹי אֶחָ֤ד בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ בְּהָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמֶ֧לֶךְ אֶחָ֛ד יִהְיֶ֥ה לְכֻלָּ֖ם לְמֶ֑לֶךְ וְלֹ֤א (יהיה) [יִֽהְיוּ־]עוֹד֙ לִשְׁנֵ֣י גוֹיִ֔ם וְלֹ֨א יֵחָ֥צוּ ע֛וֹד לִשְׁתֵּ֥י מַמְלָכ֖וֹת עֽוֹד׃
(21) and you shall declare to them: Thus said the Sovereign GOD: I am going to take the Israelite people from among the nations they have gone to, and gather them from every quarter, and bring them to their own land. (22) I will make them a single nation in the land, on the hills [mountains] of Israel, and one king shall be king of them all. Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.
Goy Echad - one nation - now assumes its full significance, as referring to all parts of the nation. It should be noted that the mention of “the mountains of Israel” as the place of this reunification is also significant, as a complement to Yechezkel’s prophecy in Chapter 36, which addressed the mountains of Israel.
(א) וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם הִנָּבֵ֖א אֶל־הָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ הָרֵי֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׁמְע֖וּ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָֽה׃
(1) And you, O mortal, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say: O mountains of Israel, hear the word of GOD:
(כג) וְלֹ֧א יִֽטַּמְּא֣וּ ע֗וֹד בְּגִלּֽוּלֵיהֶם֙ וּבְשִׁקּ֣וּצֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְכֹ֖ל פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֑ם וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּ֣י אֹתָ֗ם מִכֹּ֤ל מוֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטְא֣וּ בָהֶ֔ם וְטִהַרְתִּ֤י אוֹתָם֙ וְהָיוּ־לִ֣י לְעָ֔ם וַאֲנִ֕י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ (כד) וְעַבְדִּ֤י דָוִד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וְרוֹעֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד יִהְיֶ֣ה לְכֻלָּ֑ם וּבְמִשְׁפָּטַ֣י יֵלֵ֔כוּ וְחֻקּוֹתַ֥י יִשְׁמְר֖וּ וְעָשׂ֥וּ אוֹתָֽם׃ (כה) וְיָשְׁב֣וּ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָתַ֙תִּי֙ לְעַבְדִּ֣י לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָֽשְׁבוּ־בָ֖הּ אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְיָשְׁב֣וּ עָלֶ֡יהָ הֵ֠מָּה וּבְנֵיהֶ֞ם וּבְנֵ֤י בְנֵיהֶם֙ עַד־עוֹלָ֔ם וְדָוִ֣ד עַבְדִּ֔י נָשִׂ֥יא לָהֶ֖ם לְעוֹלָֽם׃
(23) Nor shall they ever again defile themselves by their fetishes and their abhorrent things, and by their other transgressions. I will save them in all their settlements where they sinned, and I will purify them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God. (24) My servant David shall be king over them; there shall be one shepherd for all of them. They shall follow My rules and faithfully obey My laws. (25) Thus they shall remain in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob and in which your ancestors dwelt; they and their children and their children’s children shall dwell there forever, with My servant David as their prince for all time.
ועבדי דוד מלך. המלך המשיח יקרא שמו דוד לפי שיהיה מזרע דוד קראו דוד או רמז לתחיית המתים:
וישבו. לעבדי ליעקב. לפי שאברהם ויצחק היו להם בנים אחרים שלא ירשו הארץ זכר יעקב כי לו נתנה הארץ ולזרעו אחריו:
An eternal dwelling, an eternal leader, an eternal covenant, and an eternal Temple
Our chapter ends with the promise that the revival of the people, in all its various manifestations (dwelling, prince, covenant, and Temple), will last forever. Compare to a few chapters ago:
(כה) וְכָרַתִּ֤י לָהֶם֙ בְּרִ֣ית שָׁל֔וֹם וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֥י חַיָּֽה־רָעָ֖ה מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְיָשְׁב֤וּ בַמִּדְבָּר֙ לָבֶ֔טַח וְיָשְׁנ֖וּ בַּיְּעָרִֽים׃
(25) And I will grant them a covenant of friendship. I will banish vicious beasts from their land, and they shall live secure in the wasteland, they shall even sleep in the woodland.
In this prophecy in Chapter 37, Yechezkel adds the element of eternity.
(כו) וְכָרַתִּ֤י לָהֶם֙ בְּרִ֣ית שָׁל֔וֹם בְּרִ֥ית עוֹלָ֖ם יִהְיֶ֣ה אוֹתָ֑ם וּנְתַתִּים֙ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֣י אוֹתָ֔ם וְנָתַתִּ֧י אֶת־מִקְדָּשִׁ֛י בְּתוֹכָ֖ם לְעוֹלָֽם׃ (כז) וְהָיָ֤ה מִשְׁכָּנִי֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים וְהֵ֖מָּה יִהְיוּ־לִ֥י לְעָֽם׃ (כח) וְיָֽדְעוּ֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם כִּ֚י אֲנִ֣י יהוה מְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בִּהְי֧וֹת מִקְדָּשִׁ֛י בְּתוֹכָ֖ם לְעוֹלָֽם׃ {פ}
(26) I will make a covenant of friendship with them—it shall be an everlasting covenant with them—I will establish them and multiply them, and I will place My Sanctuary among them forever. (27) My Presence shall rest over them; I will be their God and they shall be My people. (28) And when My Sanctuary abides among them forever, the nations shall know that I, GOD, do sanctify Israel.
A quick aside.....
(טז) וְהָיְתָ֥ה הַקֶּ֖שֶׁת בֶּֽעָנָ֑ן וּרְאִיתִ֗יהָ לִזְכֹּר֙ בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֔ם בֵּ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֔ים וּבֵין֙ כׇּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֔ה בְּכׇל־בָּשָׂ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
(16) When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures, all flesh that is on earth.
וטעם והיתה הקשת בענן שהיא לעולם שם בסתר, והשם רואה אותה:
[AND THE BOW SHALL BE IN THE CLOUD.] The bow is always hidden in the cloud and there seen by God.
Back to the Navi .... the expression “eternal covenant” is mentioned in a prophecy that precedes the Destruction and foretells the future revival:
“And I shall remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an eternal covenant” (16:60). However, the prophetic context is different in each case and accordingly, the message entailed in this expression is unique to each context.
(ס) וְזָכַרְתִּ֨י אֲנִ֧י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֛י אוֹתָ֖ךְ בִּימֵ֣י נְעוּרָ֑יִךְ וַהֲקִימוֹתִ֥י לָ֖ךְ בְּרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם׃
(60) Nevertheless, I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish it with you as an everlasting covenant.
In our chapter, the “eternal covenant” symbolizes the eternal bond between the nation and HaShem. In Chapter 16 there is an emphasis on the contrast between HaShem's fulfillment of the covenant and the violation of the covenant by the people:
(נט) כִּ֣י כֹ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה (ועשית) [וְעָשִׂ֥יתִי] אוֹתָ֖ךְ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֑ית אֲשֶׁר־בָּזִ֥ית אָלָ֖ה לְהָפֵ֥ר בְּרִֽית׃
(59) Truly, thus said the Sovereign GOD: I will deal with you as you have dealt, for you have spurned the pact and violated the covenant.
Similarly, the promise concerning the eternal Temple appears for the first time in this prophecy; for this reason, it is emphasized twice in this unit (vv. 26-28). These verses parallel, to a certain extent, the promises that appear at the beginning of Parashat Bechukotai (Vayikra 26:3-13). Even the formulation of the future promises is similar in both places. Nevertheless, this similarity also serves to highlight what is unique to our prophecy – not only in relation to Yechezkel’s other prophecies, but also compared to the promises in the Torah.
According to ChatGPT: This comment highlights a thematic and linguistic connection between Yechezkel 37:15-28 and Vayikra 26:3-13 while also emphasizing the uniqueness of Yechezkel’s prophecy. Let's break it down:
1. Parallels Between Yechezkel 37:15-28 and Vayikra 26:3-13
Both passages describe a future vision of redemption, unity, and divine presence. Some of the key similarities include:
National Restoration: In Vayikra, the Torah promises security and peace if Bnei Yisrael follow Hashem’s mitzvot, whereas Yechezkel speaks of the reunification of Yehuda and Yosef (Ephraim), bringing the entire nation back together under one king.
Divine Presence: Vayikra 26:11-12 says, “I will place My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.” Similarly, Yechezkel 37:26-27 states, “I will place My Sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
Everlasting Covenant: Both texts mention a divine covenant that will secure Israel’s future, with Yechezkel calling it a brit olam (eternal covenant) (37:26).
2. What is Unique About Yechezkel's Prophecy?
Despite these similarities, Yechezkel’s prophecy has a distinct focus:
Reunification of the Tribes: The Torah in Vayikra speaks broadly about national blessing for obedience, but Yechezkel addresses the specific historical reality of a divided Israel (Yehuda vs. the Ten Tribes) and the necessity of reunification before redemption.
Davidic Kingship: Yechezkel explicitly mentions the restoration of David Melech Yisrael (37:24-25), reinforcing the messianic vision that is absent from the blessings in Vayikra.
Eternal Sanctuary: While Vayikra describes Hashem dwelling among the people, Yechezkel emphasizes a permanent Mikdash (Mikdashi b’tocham l’olam), signifying a level of redemption that surpasses even the era of the Mishkan and Beit HaMikdash.
Rectification of Past Sin: Yechezkel’s prophecy comes after the exile and destruction of the First Temple, making it a response to sin and exile. The Torah’s promises in Vayikra are preventive—blessings contingent on observance—but Yechezkel presents a vision of ultimate restoration even after failure.
Conclusion
The similarities between the passages emphasize Hashem’s consistent vision for Klal Yisrael: obedience leads to blessing, divine presence, and national flourishing. However, Yechezkel’s prophecy introduces new dimensions—historical reunification, a messianic figure, and an eternal Beit HaMikdash—marking it as a unique vision of redemption tailored to Israel’s post-exilic reality.
Would you like me to explore any specific aspect further for your shiur?
Dr. Ganzel again:
The future Temple has not yet been mentioned at all in Yechezkel’s prophecies of revival. The only place where it will appear again, in any form, is in 43:9 – “And I shall dwell in their midst forever”, where the formulation emphasizes the Divine Presence rather than the physical structure in the midst of the people. This fact reflects the close connection between the Temple and the nation in the future. Or more accurately it reflects the fact that it is not the Temple that is at the center of the promises to the nation for the future; instead, the promise is that God Himself will dwell in the midst of His people forever. In light of this, attention should be paid to the fact that the element of eternity (“forever”) is absent from the parallel verses in Sefer Vayikra, as is the promise concerning the “prince” (nasi). On the other hand, in Sefer Vayikra we find a different element that does not appear in Yechezkel’s prophecy – a promise of victory in war. The reason for this is that there are no wars in the future described in Yechezkel’s prophecy (36:35).
Unique phenomenon, compared to the rest of the Sefer, are the four promises that appear here, and that will be kept forever: the nation’s existence upon its land (v. 25), the covenant with God (v. 26), a unified leadership for both parts of the nation (vv. 19, 22), and the Temple that will stand forever: “Then the nations shall know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel, when My Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for ever more” (v. 28). This concluding verse brings these various motifs together and emphasizes the impact of this ideal reality upon the other nations. It serves to emphasize the positive motifs in the prophecies after the Destruction, such that the listeners may take some measure of comfort and optimism – which has been lacking until now. Thus, these prophecies introduce a new dimension into Sefer Yechezkel.
Although this conclusion of Chapter 37 sounds like a suitable platform from which to proceed to describe the vision of the future Temple (chapters 40-48), we first encounter two chapters that are devoted to the war of Gog from the land of Magog. These make no mention at all of the Temple and only afterwards does the prophet return to this subject. This transition indicates that the necessary conditions for the return of God’s glory to the Temple are not yet in place. It is these conditions that are addressed by the next two chapters.