The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 256

EXPOSITION. the bones are declared to be those, not of CHAPTER XXXVII. the whole family of man, bnt merely of the This cho.pter embraces, in its earlier seo- honse of Israel At the same time, thoso tion (vers. 1-14), the conoluding portion of interpreters are right who, like llengsten- the "word of God" begun at eh. xxxvi. berg, Keil, and Plnmptre, hold that, even 16; in its later section (vers. 15-28), an if the doctrine of a genera.I reslll'rection had additional "word." to whioh the former not been current in Ezekiel's time, this natlll'e.lly leads. The earlier, under the vision was enough to call it into existence, figlll'8 of a r881llreotion of dry bones, be- and even to lend strong probability to its held by the prophet in vision, desoribes truth. the political and religions reawakening of 2. Accordingly, the view is commonly Israel; in the later is depicted, by means preferred that, while an objective reality to of a symbolic action, the reunion of its the prophet's mind, and by no means a two branches. The first divides itself mere rhetorical garb for its conceptions, the into two parts-the vision (vers. 1-10) f!Ulion was designed as a aymbolic f'epreunla- and its interpretation (vers. 11-14). The tion of Israel', f'e8'U8citati011; though here vision was to all appearance designed to again opinions diverge both as to what meet, the objections the preceding picture formed the mental baokground for the of Israel's fnture glory might naturally be prophet's nee of such a symbol, and as to expected to call forth. It was true that in how it served to suggest the thought of th·c past Israel had often suffered a decline Israel's revival. While some, like Jerome in her national life, and as often experienced o.nd Hengstenberg, as above indicated, re- a revival. But with the fall of her capital, gard "the dootrine of the proper resurreo- the Lurning of her temple, the slaughter of tion" as" the presupposition of the expanded her people, and the expatriation of her figurative representation," others, with Hii.- nobles, her life was henceforth extinot; and vernick, nnd its historical b11sis in suoh to speak of returning prosperity to her in instances of raising from the dead as were such n condition was like talking of the performed by Elijah and Elieho., and per- restoration of vitality to withered bones. haps also in suoh passages as Isa.. x:xvi. 19. Besides, the exiles were, comparatively If Smend thinks the vision wo.s intended speaking, only a handful, nnd to piotnre to assist Israel merely by suggesting that Jude.h's waste oities as being filled with "tho unbelievable might happen," o.llll Hn- docks of men was like mocking the dejected verniok that it wa.s designed to inspire hope with hopes certain to be dashed to the by presenting to the mind a lively picture ground. The Exposition will show how the of the orea.tive, life-giving power of God, vision wos fitted to dispel such despondent "whioh co.n raise even dead bones to life reflections. Yet diversity of sentiment o.g11in," Ewald finds its chief power to prevails llB to whether the vision was in- consolo in the thought "that the no.tion or tended to prediot an actual resurrection of individual which does not despair of the the physically dead at the end of time, or Divine Spirit will uot be forsaken of this merely to symbolize an ideal resurrection of Spirit in any situo.tiou, but will al wo.ys be lsro.el, then nationally dead. borne on by it to new life." 1. The view, that what the prophet beheld. Ver. 1.-The hand of the Lord was upon in vision was the /foal f'eBurrection of man- me. The absence of the customary "and" ki11d, though favoured by Jerome, Calovius, (comp. oh. i. 1, 3: iii. 14, 22), wanting ouly and Kliefoth, must be abandoned, not be- once age.in (eh. xl. 1), e.ppeo.r~ to indicate :muse the doctrine of a general resurreotion something extre.ordino.ry and unusunl iu the would not have been a powerful consolation prophet's experience, In tho words of Ewe.Id, "such a never-beheld sight one so~s frcoly to the pious-hearted in Israel, or because (by itsell) in a moment of higher inspimtion that doctrine was not then known, but or never;" and tho.t in this wholo vision tho \tooo.UBe, in the prophet's own explanation, prophet wo.e the subject of a spccio.l and  THE: BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [oH, xxxv1L 1-28,