Ezekiel 37 · Verse 16

Ezekiel 37:16

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:
Ezekiel 37:16, King James Version

Ezekiel 37:16 in other translations

BSB“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.’
WEB“You, son of man, take one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions.’ Then take another stick, and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.’
ASVAnd 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:
YLT‘And thou, son of man, take to thee one stick, and write on it, For Judah, and for the sons of Israel, his companions; and take another stick, and write on it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel, his companions,
DARBYAnd thou, son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel, his companions. And take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.
BBEAnd you, son of man, take one stick, writing on it, For Judah and for the children of Israel who are in his company: then take another stick, writing on it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and all the children of Israel who are in his company:
WebsterMoreover, 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:

What does Ezekiel 37:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. stick--alluding to Nu 17:2, the tribal rod. The union of the two rods was a prophecy in action of the brotherly union which is to reunite the ten tribes and Judah. As their severance under Jeroboam was fraught with the greatest evil to the covenant-people, so the first result of both being joined by the spirit of life to God is that they become joined to one another under the one covenant King, Messiah-David. Judah, and ... children of Israel his companions--that is, Judah and, besides Benjamin and Levi, those who had joined themselves to him of Ephraim, Manasseh, Simeon, Asher, Zebulun, Issachar, as having the temple and lawful priesthood in his borders (2Ch 11:12, 13, 16; 15:9; 30:11, 18). The latter became identified with Judah after the carrying away of the ten tribes, and returned with Judah from Babylon, and so shall be associated with that tribe at the future restoration. For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim--Ephraim's posterity took the lead, not only of the other descendants of Joseph (compare Eze 37:19), but of the ten tribes of Israel. For four hundred years, during the period of the judges, with Manasseh and Benjamin, its dependent tribes, it had formerly taken the lead: Shiloh was its religious capital; Shechem, its civil capital. God had transferred the birthright from Reuben (for dishonoring his father's bed) to Joseph, whose representative, Ephraim, though the younger, was made (Ge 48:19; 1Ch 5:1). From its pre-eminence "Israel" is attached to it as "companions." The "all" in this case, not in that of Judah, which has only attached as "companions" "the children of Israel" (that is, some of them, namely, those who followed the fortunes of Judah), implies that the bulk of the ten tribes did not return at the restoration from Babylon, but are distinct from Judah, until the coming union with it at the restoration.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Son of man, take thee one stick - The two sticks mentioned in this symbolical transaction represented, as the text declares the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah, which were formed in the days of Rehoboam, and continued distinct till the time of the captivity. The kingdom of Judah was composed of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with the Levites; all the rest went off in the schism with Jeroboam, and formed the kingdom of Israel. Though some out of those tribes did rejoin themselves to Judah, yet no whole tribe ever returned to that kingdom. Common sufferings in their captivity became the means of reviving a kinder feeling; and to encourage this, God promises that he will reunite them, and restore them to their own land; and that there shall no more be any divisions or feuds among them. To represent this in such a way as would make it a subject of thought, reflection, and inquiry, the prophet is ordered to take the two sticks mentioned above, to write on them the distinguishing names of the divided kingdoms, and then by a notch, dovetail, glue, or some such method, to unite them both before the people. He did so, and on their inquiry, showed them the full meaning of this symbolical action.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 37:15-28

This emblem was to show the people, that the Lord would unite Judah and Israel. Christ is the true David, Israel's King of old; and those whom he makes willing in the day of his power, he makes to walk in his judgments, and to keep his statutes. Events yet to come will further explain this prophecy. Nothing has more hindered the success of the gospel than divisions. Let us study to keep the unity of the Spirit in…

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 37:15-28 →

Ezekiel 37:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְאַתָּ֣הve.'a.Tahand youH859
בֶן\־ven-O son ofH1121
אָדָ֗ם'a.DamhumankindH120
קַח\־kach-takeH3947
לְךָ֙le.Kha<for> yourself
עֵ֣ץ'etza piece of woodH6086
אֶחָ֔ד'e.ChadoneH259
וּכְתֹ֤בu.khe.Toand writeH3789
עָלָיו֙'a.Lavon itH5921
לִֽיהוּדָ֔הli.hu.Dahfor JudahH3063
וְלִבְנֵ֥יve.liv.Neiand for [the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
חֲבֵרָ֑יוcha.ve.rovassociates itsH2270
וּלְקַח֙u.le.Kachand takeH3947
עֵ֣ץ'etza piece of woodH6086
אֶחָ֔ד'e.ChadoneH259
וּכְת֣וֹבu.khe.Tovand writeH3789
עָלָ֗יו'a.Lavon itH5921
לְיוֹסֵף֙le.yo.Seffor JosephH3130
עֵ֣ץ'etz[the] piece of wood ofH6086
אֶפְרַ֔יִם'ef.Ra.yimEphraimH669
וְכָל\־ve.kholand allH3605
בֵּ֥יתbeit[the] house ofH1004
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
חֲבֵרָֽיו\׃cha.ve.rovassociates itsH2270

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 37:16

  • 2 Chronicles 15:9

    And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.

  • 2 Chronicles 10:19

    And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

  • 2 Chronicles 10:17

    But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

  • Numbers 17:2-3

    Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod. And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.

  • 1 Kings 12:16-20

    So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents. But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. …

  • 2 Chronicles 11:11-17

    And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side. And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the Lord: …

  • 2 Chronicles 30:11-18

    Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord. And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation. And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
take thee.
Nu 17:2,3
For Judah.
2Ch 10:17; 11:11-17; 15:9; 30:11-18
For Joseph.
1Ki 12:16-20; 2Ch 10:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezekiel 37:15

    The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,

  • Ezekiel 37:16

    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:

  • Ezekiel 37:17

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

Read all of Ezekiel 37

Ezekiel 37:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Tú, hijo del hombre, tómate ahora un palo, y escribe en él: A Judá, y á los hijos de Israel sus compañeros. Toma después otro palo, y escribe en él: A José, palo de Ephraim, y á toda la casa de Israel sus compañeros.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et toi, fils d’homme, prends un bois, et écris dessus: Pour Juda, et pour les fils d’Israël, ses compagnons. Et prends un autre bois, et écris dessus: Pour Joseph, le bois d’Éphraïm et de toute la maison d’Israël, ses compagnons.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und du, Menschensohn, nimm dir ein Holz und schreibe darauf: Für Juda und für die Kinder Israel, seine Genossen. Und nimm ein anderes Holz und schreibe darauf: Für Joseph, Holz Ephraims und des ganzen Hauses Israel, seiner Genossen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et tu, fili hominis, sume tibi lignum unum, et scribe super illud: Judæ, et filiorum Israël sociorum ejus: et tolle lignum alterum, et scribe super illud: Joseph, ligno Ephraim, et cunctæ domui Israël sociorumque ejus.