The Meaning of Ezekiel 37:11 Explained

Ezekiel 37:11

KJV: Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

YLT: And He saith unto me, 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; lo, they are saying: Dried up have our bones, And perished hath our hope, We have been cut off by ourselves.

Darby: And he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off!

ASV: Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then he said  unto me, Son  of man,  these bones  are the whole house  of Israel:  behold, they say,  Our bones  are dried,  and our hope  is lost:  we are cut off  for our parts. 

What does Ezekiel 37:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezekiel 37:1-14 - The Resurrection Of A Dead Nation
A marvelous chapter-the vision is so graphic. Time does not rob it of its significance. Indeed every sign points to speedy fulfillment. The Jewish nation has long resembled those dry and bleaching bones; and the state of sinners generally may truly be described in the same terms. The condition of many souls and neighborhoods is comparable to the harrowing scenes of a recent battlefield. We may preach so as to effect an outward revolution, but there can be no life until the divine breath passes over them. We must preach the Word, instant in season and out; but we must also call on the Spirit of Life. Those that are in their graves must hear the voice of the Son of God. The promises of Ezekiel 37:13-14 await literal fulfillment in the case of the Jews, but let us plead that they may be also realized in our own congregations and neighborhoods. Revival will assuredly end in unity. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 37

1  By the resurrection of dry bones
11  the dead hope of Israel is revived
15  By the uniting of two sticks
18  is shown the incorporation of Israel into Judah
21  The promises of Christ's kingdom

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 37:11 mean?

And He said to me Son of man bones these whole the house of Israel are indeed they say are dry Our bones and is lost Our hope we are cut off ourselves
וַיֹּאמֶר֮ אֵלַי֒ בֶּן־ אָדָ֕ם הָעֲצָמ֣וֹת הָאֵ֔לֶּה כָּל־ בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵ֑מָּה הִנֵּ֣ה אֹמְרִ֗ים יָבְשׁ֧וּ עַצְמוֹתֵ֛ינוּ וְאָבְדָ֥ה תִקְוָתֵ֖נוּ נִגְזַ֥רְנוּ לָֽנוּ

וַיֹּאמֶר֮  And  He  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלַי֒  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בֶּן־  Son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אָדָ֕ם  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
הָעֲצָמ֣וֹת  bones 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: עֶצֶם 
Sense: bone, essence, substance.
הָאֵ֔לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
כָּל־  whole 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בֵּ֥ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
הִנֵּ֣ה  indeed 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
אֹמְרִ֗ים  they  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יָבְשׁ֧וּ  are  dry 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָבֵשׁ  
Sense: to make dry, wither, be dry, become dry, be dried up, be withered.
עַצְמוֹתֵ֛ינוּ  Our  bones 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: עֶצֶם 
Sense: bone, essence, substance.
וְאָבְדָ֥ה  and  is  lost 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
תִקְוָתֵ֖נוּ  Our  hope 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: תִּקְוָה 
Sense: cord.
נִגְזַ֥רְנוּ  we  are  cut  off 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: גָּזַר 
Sense: to cut, divide, cut down, cut off, cut in two, snatch, decree.
לָֽנוּ  ourselves 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural