Bible Strands
Ezekiel 37:16
“And you, son of man, take a single stick and write on it: ‘Belonging to Judah and to the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another stick and write on it: ‘Belonging to Joseph—the stick of Ephraim—and to all the house of Israel associated with him.’
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God commands Ezekiel, identified as "son of man," to physically handle two wooden sticks and inscribe them with specific tribal designations. This instruction follows the dry bones vision and immediately precedes the directive to bind the two sticks together.
The words — קַח (kach) means "take" and עֵץ (etz) denotes "a piece of wood," while כְּתֹב (khetov) issues the command "write" upon it. These terms anchor the prophecy in a concrete, tactile object rather than an abstract vision.
The thread — The historical split and attempted reunification of these groups appear in 2 Chronicles 10:17 and 15:9, which record Rehoboam's remaining rule over Judah and later efforts to gather Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon with Judah. 2 Chronicles 10:19 further notes the enduring rebellion against the house of David that this prophetic act addresses.
Why it lands — The text demands a literal demonstration of unity through a physical act of writing and joining. A reader must first acknowledge the historical division of the northern and southern tribes before recognizing the stick as a direct symbol of their future political restoration.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 10:19 So to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David.
- 2 Chronicles 15:9 And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, along with those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for great numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.
- 2 Chronicles 10:17 but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.
- Numbers 17:2 “Speak to the Israelites and take from them twelve staffs, one from the leader of each tribe. Write each man’s name on his staff,
- 1 Kings 12:16 When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home,
- 2 Chronicles 11:11 He strengthened their fortifications and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.
- 2 Chronicles 30:11 Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.