before But there was no breath in them Here were perfect humane bodies as if they had been newly dead or newly formed out of the earth as Adams body was but there was yet no Life in them they were no other then dead carkasses The Coalition of the bones the ascension of sinews flesh and skin upon them argued not life in them but Divine Power acting and ordering them so Verse 9. Prophesie unto the wind Prophesie son of man and say to the wind The word Ruah or Ruach signifies several things Sometimes the Spirit of God as 2 Sam. 23.3 Sometimes an Angel as Job 4.15 Sometimes the soul of a Beast Eccles 3.21 Sometimes the Wind as Job 1.19 Sometimes the breath of Man as Job 12.10 And sometimes the Soul of Man Eccles 12.7 Zach. 12.1 In what sense it 's here to be taken is the question To let other senses passe I conceive here it notes the soul or spirit of Man which is call'd wind or breath here it expresses and declares it's self by breathing which is a wind When all other signes of life fail as speech sight hearing motion c. yet breath oft-times remains and so manifests the soul to be there which is Ruah Chajim the breath of life Gen. 6.17 These bones being brought into the forms of bodies lay destitute of souls and so of life the Prophet therefore is commanded to Prophesie unto their souls If any will understand here by Wind the Spirit of God which is in Scripture compar'd to wind Joh. 3.8 and gives life to the dead Psal 104.30 I shall not contend Come from the four winds O breath and breathe upon these slain that they may live The four winds note out here the four chief parts of quarters of the World East West North and South and the Prophet is commanded to call for the souls of these bodies to come from all quarters where ever they were to breathe upon them that is to enter into them and to cause them to live That he call'd wind before he calls breath now By slain are meant the visional carkasses which lay dead Verse 10. So I Prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them The Prophet doing his duty the effect followed he said Come O breath and the spirit soul or breath came into those bodies lay in his view they were animated and thereupon They lived and stood up upon their feet Immediately upon reception of their souls they had life and motion as every bone came to his bone and made up a body so every soul came to its own body and made it to live and to testifie its life by standing up upon its feet An exceeding great Army The bones were many and they being quickned and raised made an Army yea a great an exceeding great Army The word for Army is Chaiil which signifies Vertue Courage and so the words may be rendred They stood upon their feet being of very great Courage First Observe God sometimes puts his servants upon strange imployments even such as seem ridiculous unseasonable impossible He set Ezekiel on work to Prophesie over bones and to say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord. This was as if one should water a dry rotten Stick and say Grow God said to Moses Lift up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the Sea and divide it Exod. 14.16 Here was a strange command and strange work for Moses to do Could his rod or hand divide the Sea Was it not strange work God put Joshuah the men of War and the Priests unto when he appointed them to go seven dayes round about Jericho six dayes together once a day and the seventh day seven times with Trumpets and Rams-horns Joshua 6 So when God commanded Ezekiel to take a tile Pourtray Jerusalem upon it and lay siege against it with Battering-Rams then to set an iron Pan between him and the City for a wall after these things to lie upon his left side 390 days and after that on his right side 40 days were not these strange kind of imployments which God put the Prophet unto Ezek. 4. So Jeremiah must put bonds and yokes upon his own neck and then send them to Kings by their own Embassadors which came to Zedekiah at Jerusalem Jer 27. In all these things there was depth of Wisdom however they seemed unto men Secondly Observe Whatsoever means are used it 's God doth all Here was Prophesie used but that did not the work without God Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live God could have done this without Prophesie but that was the means he would use and work in or by We must not neglect means and leave all to God that is tempting the most High neither must we trust to means when used that is to idolize a creature but we must use means and look unto God to be all in them for without him nothing is done and if we make him all in the means we shall make him all after them Thirdly Observe How low deplorable or desperate soever the creature be God can alter it and that easily These dry bones were almost dust and come to nothing their condition was very deplorable and desperate the Prophet himself could not tell what to think of them And did not God alter their condition quickly and with ease He bids the Prophet Prophesie and say Hear the word of the Lord ye dry bones and that being done presently the bones shake come together are cloath'd with sinewâ— flesh and skin receive breath live and stand up Here was a wonderful sudden change wrought with great facility God can make the dry tree to flowrish Ezek. 17.24 Arons rod to bud and blossome Sarahs dead womb to conceive Rivers in high places and springs of water in dry lands Isa 41.18 If God speak but the word these things are done Rom. 4.17 He quickens the dead and calls those things which be not as though they were let God only give a Call and things without life have life and things without beeing have a beeing Jer. 31.15 16 17. Are we in bondage He can easily set us at liberty as he did Peter Are we sick unto death He can easily cure us as he did Hezekiah Are we poor and despicable He can easily inrich us and make us honourable as he did Job when stript of all Are we dead in sins and trespasses that we cannot stir at all towards God or are we dead hearted that we stir poorly towards him He can quicken us in a moment as he did these dry bones so that we shall live move and act vigorously Fourthly Observe There is a mighty efficacy in Gods word when he is pleased to concurr with it and to be present with it in his own Ordinance Ezekiel Prophesies and as he Prophesied there was a noise a shaking of the bones a Coalition of them a compassing them about with sinews flesh and skin an entrance of
first is they were diseased Sheep are liable to various diseases faintings weaknesses Montanus renders the word Hannocheloth languentes those languish and are feeble those languished in their estates or spirits were not strengthned those wanted bread for their bodies and for their souls were not looked after The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The weak ye have not strengthned and the French is Vous n'anet point Comforte ' celle quiestoit affloiblie You have not comforted that which was made feeble Neithea have ye healed that which was sick A Sheep may be diseased yet not be sick that is sick Cui totum corpus dolet when the whole body is pained saith Lavater the whole body is so distempered that the members of it cannot perform their Offices There were many among the Jews who were sick in their estates and spirits and could not perform the duties of their generall or particular callings who had none to heal them This was the second thing Neither have ye bound up that which was broken The third thing is brokenness some Sheep had their flesh torn by Dogs or Bushes their leggs and other bones about them broken or put out of joynt divers amongst them had broken estates broken spirits and none bound them up The word Chabash signifies binding as men are bound in prison binding as men bind packs to horses binding as men are bound by laws to obey or suffer binding of ornaments to the head and binding up of wounds to cure and heal them as here Neither have ye brought again that which was driven away Here is the fourth thing concerns the Sheep some were driven away Storms Dogs Wolves and other wild beasts oft times cause the Sheep to run this way and that way to fall into ditches and pits which if looked after might be preserved and reduced The warres and other evills forced many Jews to flye into other Countries and none in Place did think of them that they might be brought back Neither have ye sought that which was lost Sheep being wandring creatures are oftentimes lost Luke 15.4 Among the Jews there were some had stragled from the rest and were lost lost through corrupt opinions and practices they left the wayes of God and wandred in by-paths which led to utter destruction such a losing the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies They were not sought after they did not make diligent enquiry search after them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint Non summo studio quaerebant they did not seek earnestly after them But with force and cruelty have they ruled them They dealt not as Patres patriae Fathers of their Country but as Tyrants which are Pestes humani generis the very plagues of the earth they dealt not as Shepherds with their Sheep but as cruel Task-masters over Servants The word for ruling is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Radah which notes such ruling as a Master doth exercise over a Servant rigorous ruling therefore the Jews were forbid to rule over a poor brother Levit 25.43 Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour Here they ruled with rigour they put forth their power to the breaking and ruine of the people they were rough and cruell in their government The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye weary wear out yea murther the strong with vexation and labour Vers 5. And they were scattered because there is no Shepherd The Shepherds being either negligent or tyrannical the Sheep were scattered through default of their Political Shepherds they were scattered into waste places into the open fields into forts and caves Chap. 33.27 and into other Countries Had Zedekiah and the Nobles been faithfull to God to Nebuchadnezzar and the People ruling as he and they should have done the People had not been so scattered and through default of their Ecclesiastical Shepherds they fell into errours superstitions and idolatrous practices Justice Laws and Religion being laid aside there was nothing remain'd but confusion disorder and dispersion The Hebrew is They were scattered without a Shepherd which may be taken thus Being scattered they had no Shepherd or thus they were scattered because or for that they had no Shepherd that is no faithfull Shepherd this is the better sence and so the Septuagint speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that they had no Shepherds that is no such shepherds as cared for their good civilly or spiritually And they became meat to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered When the Sheep are scattered into Caves Woods upon Mountains and Hills they become a prey to Dogs Swine Wild Beasts so the Jews being scattered into severall parts of the world were exposed to the injuries of strangers and a prey unto them Vers 6. My sheep wandred through all the Mountains and upon every high Hill They went from Mountain to Mountain and from Hill to Hill and set up Altars Jer 2.20 Vpon every high Hill and under every green Tree thou wanderest playing the Harlot so Jer 3.6 Or they were forced to fly to the Mountains and Hills in the time of war and danger which their Rulers brought upon them Yea my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth and none did seek or search after them The Hebrew is upon all the faces of the earth every Countrey hath a severall face in a Metaphorical sence as one man hath from another Egypt had one face Babylon another the Countries about Judaea their distinct faces or superficies now they were scattered abroad upon them all and none did search or seek them Here be two words signifying the same thing Bikkesh and Daresh the first signifies to seek or search summo studio the second summo judicio First Observe Those that are set over the people in Church or State are Shepherds and ought to be like unto them towards their flocks They should govern them gently protect them constantly provide for them carefully and feed them faithfully and seek their good diligently God who is the great Shepherd doth so Isa 40.11 He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd he shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosome and shall gently lead those that are with young Isa 27.3 Least any hurt it that is his Vineyard his People I the Lord will keep it night and day Psal 23.1.2 The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want He provided green pastures and still waters for him and for all his Jer 5.7 He fed them to the full He gave them David for a Shepherd to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance and he fed them according to the integrity of his heart Psal 78.71 72. he sought their good Micah 6.5 he turned curses into blessings for them Deut 23.5 here was a good Shepherd Magistrates and Ministers should be like unto God in all these Secondly Observe Few of those that are over Gods flock in Church or State do prove such as they ought to be The
The Instrumental Prophesying v. 4 7 9 10. 2. The Principal v. 5. 2. The Formal which is expressed 1. By coalition of bone to bone v. 7. 2. By cloathing of the bones with flesh sinews and skin v. 8. 3. By the entrance of breath v. 10. Verse 4. Prophesie upon these bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of Lord. This seems an absurd thing that the Prophet should prophesie unto Creatures insensible unintelligible void of life It was as if God should bid a man preach unto an heap of stones or dry chips which are incapable of hearing But though these Bones were incapable of hearing Ezekiels voyce yet they were not incapable of hearing Gods voyce for all creatures even the most senseless hear the Lord when he speaks the stormy winds fulfil his word Psal 148.8 The Heavens and the Earth Isai 1.2 Whales and Ravens Jon. 2.10 1 King 17.4 The Lord intended to bestow life upon these bones and that they might have life they must hear his word which had inlivening vertue in it There is an obediential vertue in every creature to yield to the will and command of the Creator and when it doth so then it 's said to hear the voyce of the Lord then properly men hear God when they do what he requires Vers 5. Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live These words prevent an Objection which the Prophet might have made saying It s in vain for me to prophesie to these dry bones what ever I shall say over them or unto them will come to nothing and prove ridiculous if any take notice thereof No saith the Lord it shall not be so for Behold I will cause breath to enter into them and they shall live The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I bring upon you the Spirit of life Others render the words thus Behold I do make the Spirit to enter into you or I am about to bring the Spirit into you and ye shall live that is I am ready to breathe life into you or I will breathe the breath of life into you It 's life is here promised which he mentions first to encourage the Prophet though it were performed last for the bones must first be united then be cloathed with sinews flesh and skin before the breath of life enters Verse 6. And I will lay sinews upon you The Hebrew for Sinews is Gidim which is from Gadad Turmatim oonncurrere quia nervi in corpore ad sensus motus officia concurrant c. The nerves in the body do concur unto the duties of sense and motion Some Nerves are soft some are hard the soft are specially for sense and they come from the Brain the hard are chiefly for motion and they come from the Marrow in the back-bone Here God would cause these visional Bones to have visional Sinews which might fit them for sense and motion And bring up flesh upon you The word for Flesh is Basar which Synechdochically signifies sometimes Men and sometimes other living creatures but here it notes that part of mans body which is simplex mollis rubicunda simple soft and ruddiest such flesh would God bring up upon these Bones The Hebrew for bring up is I will make to ascend God would cause flesh to grow up and ascend out of those dry bones And cover you with skin When the bones had sinews and flesh God would not leave them so it 's unsightly to behold naked raw flesh He would give them a garment viz. cover them with Skin Incrustabo vos cute saith Montanus I will crust you over with skin Superextendam in vobis Cutem saith the Vulgar I will stretch over you a Skin The word for Skin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be naked Though the flesh were covered with skin yet was not the skin covered with any artificial covering And put breath in you and ye shall live These words are the same with those in the 5. verse Now when the bones had their sinews flesh and skin and were fitted for the breath of life they should have it The Septuagint is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give my Spirit upon you that shall beget life in you and cause you to live And ye shall know that I am the Lord. These dry bones being so Metamorphosed and raised to a living condition should acknowledge the mighty hand of the Lord and be convinced that he was able to do whatsoever he pleased Verse 7. So I Prophesied as I was commanded The Prophet stood not disputing the case with God but he understanding the mind of God presently set himself to fulfil it And as I prophesied there was a noise What Ezekiel Prophesied to these bones is not so much to be questioned he had direction from God what to say unto them even those words ye have in the 4 5 6 verses And as he was Prophesying before he had uttered all given him in commission there was a noise not of thunder or of Angels or of an Earthquake but of the bones themselves which being many dry and stirring could not but make a great noise This noise was an evident demonstration of Divine presence and power put forth in this Miraculous work And behold a shaking These bones that were dead and dry now began to stir and shake they moved from their places Maldonate thinks that the earth was moved that so the bones which were in the graves and under the earth might come forth but these were bones lay in an open valley not under the earth Their shaking or concussion was cum impetu with force It was Divine Power made them to shake and move Some refer this shaking to the invasion of the Babylonians by the Medes and Persians at what time the Jews obtain'd their liberty And the bones came together bone to his bone As timber in an house so are bones in the body the strength and support of all The Hebrew word for a Bone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etzem from Atzam to corroborate and make solid Bones are robur soliditas corporis the strength and solidity of the body These bones came together not promiscuously the bones of one man or woman to the bones of another man or woman but bone to his bone that is every bone of the same man to his right place and every bone of the same woman to its right place the rib-bones thigh-bones and ancle-bones came every one to his proper place and so united together Verse 8. And when I beheld loe the sinews and the flesh came up upon them and the skin covered them above Here was a strange sight to see dry bones come creeping together every one to coalesce and joyn in his due place making up a perfect Skeleton and out of that sinews flesh and skin to ascend this was such a sight that neither Ezekiel nor any man had ever seen