Ezekiel 37:18

Eze 37:18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou [meanest] by these?

Ver. 18. Wilt thou not show us what thou meanest by these?] People, though they should not be question sick, as some in St Paul’s time were, {1Ti 6:4} yet they should be inquisitive after truth according to godliness. {Tit 1:1}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 37:18-20. Wilt thou not show us what thou meanest — Ezekiel foretold many things by signs; and the Jews were very inquisitive into the meaning of them: but sometimes their curiosity proceeded rather from a secret contempt of the prophet and his predictions, than a real desire of information. Say, I will take the stick of Joseph — On which Joseph’s name was written, and which represents Joseph, that is, the kingdom of the ten tribes; which is in the hand of Ephraim — Of which Ephraim is the head. They shall be one in my hand — I will make them one nation, and appoint one king to rule over them, namely, Christ the Messiah. And the sticks, &c., shall be before their eyes — Thou shalt place the sticks, or rods, thus joined together, before their eyes, as a visible token or pledge of the truth of what I enjoin thee to speak to them in the following words.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

God does not explain the symbolical prophecy until the Jews have been stimulated by the type to consult the prophet.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying,.... The children of Israel and Judah in captivity, of which people Ezekiel was and to whom he was sent as a prophet; who seeing him take two sticks, and write on them, and then join them together, would naturally put such a question to him:

wilt thou not show us what thou meanest by these? for they concluded he had some meaning in it, and that it was not a mere childish diversion and amusement; and therefore would desire that he would let them know what it was: whether they would ask this seriously or in banter, out of curiosity or in contempt, as they sometimes did; it matters not, he was to give them an answer, as follows; though, by the manner of their putting the question, it looks as if they were doubtful whether he would or not; since they had treated him in a sneering way on such like occasions before.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

When; so soon as.

The children of thy people; to whom thou art watchman by office, and near of kin by natural descent.

Wilt thou not? there was some reason why they might doubt whether he would, because they had carried it so, frowardly toward him; therefore they request it by an interrogatory, Wilt thou not? We shall never know the meaning unless thou unfold it; wilt thou not do it then?

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 18-20. Wilt thou not show us what thou meanest by these? literally, what these (two pieces of wood) are to thee. The suggestion that such a request would be preferred to Ezekiel makes it clear he was meant to perform the symbolic action in public. That his countrymen should fail to understand this action accorded with their proverbial dullness of apprehension. (comp. Eze_12:9 Eze_24:19) In explanation, the prophet was enjoined to say unto them, while holding the sticks in his hand, that just as he had made the sticks one in his hand, so would God make one in his hand the two kingdoms symbolized by the sticks. The union of the sticks was to be Ezekiel"s work (ver. 17, "in thy hand"); the union of the kingdoms should be Jehovah"s (ver. 19, "in my hand"). The separation of the kingdoms had been Ephraim"s doing ("in the hand of Ephraim"); their combination should be God"s ("in my hand"). Their severance had been effected, on the part of Ephraim, by an unlawful breaking off from the house of Judah, and the establishment of an independent kingdom; their unification should be brought about by the putting down of Ephraim, and the confirming of the crown rights of Judah. The translation, And will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, signifying "And will put the tribes of Israel with him." i.e. the tribe of Judah, supported by the LXX, and preferred by Ewald, Smend, and others, is superior to that of the Revised Version margin, "And will put them together with it, unto or, " to be" the stick of Judah." Keil s rendering, "I will take the stick of Joseph... and the tribes of Israel his companions, which I put thereon literally, "and I put them," viz. the tribes, "upon it," i.e. the stick of Joseph with the stick of Judah," is too involved.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

Yahweh continues speaking to Ezekiel.

what these things of yours mean

"what your sticks mean" or "why you have these sticks"

Behold!

This tells the reader to pay special attention to what follows. AT: "Look!" or "Listen!" or "Pay attention to what I am about to tell you!"

the branch of Joseph

"the stick of Joseph." This represents the kingdom of Israel. (See: Metonymy)

that is in the hand of Ephraim

The word "hand" refers to power. AT: "that is in the power of Ephraim" or "that the tribe of Ephraim rules over" (See: Metonymy)

the tribes of Israel his companions

"the other tribes of Israel who are his companions" or "the other tribes of Israel who are part of that kingdom"

the branch of Judah

"the stick of Judah." This represents the kingdom of Judah. (See: Metonymy)

before their eyes

Here the people are represented by their "eyes" to emphasize what they see. AT: "while they watched you" (See: Synecdoche)

translationWords

Lord Yahweh

tribe

hand

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.