Ezekiel 36:37
Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.
Ezekiel 36:37 (KJV)
Context
Ezekiel prophesied during the Babylonian exile, when Israel had been carried away from their land. The people lived under judgment for their disobedience, yet God spoke through Ezekiel to promise a coming restoration. In Ezekiel 36, the Lord declares that He will cleanse His people, give them a new heart, and restore the land. Verse 37 addresses a specific need within that restoration: the repopulation of the desolate land.
Meaning
The verse opens with the authoritative formula, “Thus saith the Lord God,” marking the promise as a direct divine decree. God declares, “I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them.” This reveals that although restoration is entirely God’s initiative, He chooses to involve His people through prayer. They are to ask Him to fulfill what He has already promised. The second half of the verse, “I will increase them with men like a flock,” uses pastoral imagery to describe a great multiplication of people. Like a flock of sheep, the population will grow abundantly, reversing the emptiness left by exile.
Biblical connections
The flock metaphor continues in Ezekiel 36:38, where the filled cities are compared to flocks brought for sacrifice at Jerusalem’s appointed feasts. This connection underscores both the scale of the increase and its holy purpose. The pattern of God promising blessing and then inviting His people to pray for it appears in Jeremiah 29:12-13, where God promises that when His people call upon Him, He will listen. Here, prayer is not a way to earn God’s favor but a means of participating in His covenant purposes.
Application
For believers today, the verse teaches that God’s promises are not passive. He calls His people to pray His promises back to Him, asking for their fulfillment. This is an act of faith, acknowledging that God is both willing and able to act. The certainty of God’s increase encourages trust in His provision, whether in spiritual growth, community life, or material needs. Just as Israel was to remember God’s past works and confess His name, believers are invited to recall His faithfulness and bring their requests to Him with confidence.
Reflection
Ezekiel 36:37 reveals a God who, even after judgment, moves to restore, multiply, and bless His people. The verse calls us to approach Him in prayer, to remember His mighty works, and to rest in the assurance that He is ready to bring renewal and abundance to those who trust in Him. The promise of increase is not merely numerical but a sign of God’s covenant love and His desire to dwell among a people He has restored.
