Ezekiel 37:17

And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

Ezekiel 37:17 (KJV)

Context

Ezekiel 37:17 sits within the larger vision of the valley of dry bones, where the prophet is led by the Spirit of God to a valley filled with dry bones, symbolizing the spiritual state of the people of Israel in Babylonian captivity. The Lord asks Ezekiel whether the dry bones can live, and Ezekiel replies that only God knows. God then instructs Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones, and as he does, the bones come together, receive flesh, and become a vast army, representing the restoration and revival of Israel.

In the immediate context, God commands Ezekiel to take two sticks. On one he writes the name of Judah and the children of Israel his companions; on the other, the name of Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel his companions. These two sticks represent the divided kingdom of Israel after the reign of King Solomon, when the kingdom split into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah because of the people’s disobedience. The northern kingdom was taken into exile by the Assyrians, while the southern kingdom was later taken into exile by the Babylonians.

Meaning

In verse 17, God tells Ezekiel to join the two sticks together into one stick, and they shall become one in his hand. The joining of the sticks is a visible sign, an emblem, of God’s promise to reunite the divided nation. The phrase “in thine hand” emphasizes that the unity is accomplished by God’s power and displayed through the prophet’s obedient action. The following verses show that the people will ask what this means, and God provides the explanation: He will take the stick of Joseph and the tribes of Israel and put them with the stick of Judah, making them one stick, and they shall be one in His hand.

The imagery serves as a powerful metaphor for God’s desire to restore His people and reunite them under His leadership, pointing to a future time when God will gather the scattered people of Israel and unite them as one. The unity of the sticks points to the restoration of the nation under one king, as described later in the chapter.

Biblical connections

Beyond its historical context, Ezekiel 37:17 carries spiritual significance. It speaks to God’s promise of restoring Israel as a unified nation, and many Christian interpreters view the verse as foreshadowing the coming of Jesus Christ, who fulfills the role of the Messiah and gathers people from all nations into His kingdom. Through Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection, believers understand that they are united into one body, the Church. The apostle Paul emphasizes this unity in Ephesians 4:4-6, stating that there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all.

Application

The verse encourages believers to recognize the importance of unity among God’s people. Just as the divided sticks were joined together, Christians are called to be united in their faith and purpose. The joining of the sticks demonstrates that God is the one who brings about unity and restoration, and it serves as a call for God’s people to recognize His sovereign work in healing division.

Reflection

Ezekiel 37:17 signifies the reunification of the divided kingdom of Israel, representing both a physical restoration in ancient times and a spiritual restoration through Jesus Christ, while also highlighting the importance of unity among believers and the oneness of the body of Christ.