Ezekiel 37:16
New International Version
“Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, ‘Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, ‘Belonging to Joseph (that is, to Ephraim) and all the Israelites associated with him.’

New Living Translation
“Son of man, take a piece of wood and carve on it these words: ‘This represents Judah and its allied tribes.’ Then take another piece and carve these words on it: ‘This represents Ephraim and the northern tribes of Israel.’

English Standard Version
“Son of man, take a stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.’

Berean Standard Bible
“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.’

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
“As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself 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.’

New American Standard Bible
“Now you, son of man, take for yourself one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.’

NASB 1995
“And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions’ then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.’

NASB 1977
“And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.’

Legacy Standard Bible
“Now as for you, son of man, take for yourself one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.’

Amplified Bible
“And you, son of man, take a 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 all the house of Israel, his companions.’

Christian Standard Bible
“Son of man, take a single stick and write on it: Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him. Then take another stick and write on it: Belonging to Joseph—the stick of Ephraim—and all the house of Israel associated with him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Son of man, take a single stick and write on it: Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him. Then take another stick and write on it: Belonging to Joseph—the stick of Ephraim—and all the house of Israel associated with him.

American Standard Version
And 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:

Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel, son of man, get a stick and write on it, "The kingdom of Judah." Then get another stick and write on it, "The kingdom of Israel."

English Revised Version
And 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:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Son of man, take a stick and write on it: 'For Judah and for the Israelites who are associated with it.' Then take another stick and write on it, 'The stick of Ephraim, for Joseph and for all the people of Israel associated with it.'

Good News Translation
"Mortal man," he said, "take a wooden stick and write on it the words, 'The kingdom of Judah.' Then take another stick and write on it the words, 'The kingdom of Israel.'

International Standard Version
"Now as for you, Son of Man, grab a stick of wood for yourself and write on it these words: 'FOR JUDAH AND THE ISRAELIS, HIS COMPANIONS' "Then grab another stick and write on it: 'FOR JOSEPH, THE STICK OF EPHRAIM, AND ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, HIS COMPANIONS'

Majority Standard Bible
?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.?

NET Bible
"As for you, son of man, take one branch, and write on it, 'For Judah, and for the Israelites associated with him.' Then take another branch and write on it, 'For Joseph, the branch of Ephraim and all the house of Israel associated with him.'

New Heart English Bible
"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':

Webster's Bible Translation
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:

World English Bible
“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.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“And you, son of man, take one stick for yourself, 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,

Young's Literal Translation
'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,

Smith's Literal Translation
And thou son of man, take to thee one tree and write upon it, For Judah, and for the sons of Israel his company: and take one tree and write upon it, For Joseph, the tree of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel his company:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou son of man, take thee a stick: and write upon it: Of Juda, and of the children of Israel his associates: and take another stick and write upon it: For Joseph the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, and of his associates.

Catholic Public Domain Version
“And as for you, son of man, take up a piece of wood for yourself, and write upon it: ‘For Judah, and for the sons of Israel, his companions.’ And take up another piece of wood, and write upon it: ‘For Joseph, the wood of Ephraim, and for the entire house of Israel, and for his companions.’

New American Bible
As for you, son of man, take one stick and write on it, “Judah and those Israelites associated with it.” Then take another stick and write on it: “Joseph, Ephraim’s stick, and the whole house of Israel associated with it.”

New Revised Standard Version
Mortal, take a stick and write on it, “For Judah, and the Israelites associated with it”; then take another stick and write on it, “For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with it”;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Son of man, take a 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, on the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
“But you, son of man, take one stick for yourself, and write upon it ‘Yehuda and the children of Israel his companions’, and take another stick and write upon it, ‘Yoseph’ on the stick of Aphreim, ‘And all the children of Israel his companions’
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And 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 of all the house of Israel his companions;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Son of man, take for thyself a rod, and write upon it, Juda, and the children of Israel his adherents; and thou shalt take for thyself another rod, and thou shalt inscribe it for Joseph, the rod of Ephraim, and all the children of Israel that belong to him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
One Nation with One King
15Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 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.’ 17Then join them together into one stick, so that they become one in your hand.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 3:18
In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land that I gave to your fathers as an inheritance.

Isaiah 11:12-13
He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will collect the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth. / Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart, and the adversaries of Judah will be cut off. Ephraim will no longer envy Judah, nor will Judah harass Ephraim.

Hosea 1:11
Then the people of Judah and of Israel will be gathered together, and they will appoint for themselves one leader, and will go up out of the land. For great will be the day of Jezreel.

Jeremiah 50:4
“In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, the children of Israel and the children of Judah will come together, weeping as they come, and will seek the LORD their God.

Jeremiah 31:31-33
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. / It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. / “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Isaiah 49:6
He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Zechariah 10:6
I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them, and they will be as though I had not rejected them. For I am the LORD their God, and I will answer them.

Jeremiah 33:14-16
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the gracious promise that I have spoken to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. / In those days and at that time I will cause to sprout for David a righteous Branch, and He will administer justice and righteousness in the land. / In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely, and this is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.

Isaiah 43:5-6
Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west. / I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth—

Amos 9:14-15
I will restore My people Israel from captivity; they will rebuild and inhabit the ruined cities. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. / I will firmly plant them in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land that I have given them,” says the LORD your God.

John 10:16
I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Romans 11:25-26
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. / And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob.

Ephesians 2:14-16
For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility / by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace / and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.

John 11:52
and not only for the nation, but also for the scattered children of God, to gather them together into one.

Acts 15:16-17
‘After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, / so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does these things


Treasury of Scripture

Moreover, you son of man, take you 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:

take thee

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…

For Judah

2 Chronicles 10:17
But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

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…

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.

For Joseph

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…

2 Chronicles 10:19
And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

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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














Son of man
This phrase is a frequent address to Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity and role as a representative of the people. In Hebrew, "ben adam" underscores the prophet's connection to mankind, highlighting his position as a mediator between God and Israel. It serves as a reminder of the humility and responsibility inherent in his prophetic mission.

take a stick
The Hebrew word for "stick" is "etz," which can also mean "tree" or "wood." This imagery is significant, as wood often symbolizes life, growth, and continuity in the Bible. The act of taking a stick is symbolic of taking hold of something tangible to represent a deeper spiritual truth.

and write on it
Writing on the stick signifies the act of making a divine message permanent and visible. In ancient times, writing was a means of recording important information, and here it serves to communicate God's intentions clearly and unambiguously to the people.

‘For Judah
Judah represents the southern kingdom, which included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Historically, Judah was the more stable and enduring of the two kingdoms, maintaining the Davidic line and the temple in Jerusalem. This reference underscores the importance of Judah in God's plan for His people.

and for the Israelites
The term "Israelites" here refers to the northern kingdom, often called Israel or Ephraim. This kingdom was composed of the ten tribes that separated from Judah after Solomon's reign. The mention of both Judah and Israel highlights the division that existed but also sets the stage for the promise of reunification.

associated with him
This phrase indicates a connection or alliance, suggesting that the people of Judah and the Israelites are not entirely separate but have a shared heritage and destiny. It points to the hope of reconciliation and unity among God's people, despite their historical divisions.

Then take another stick
The instruction to take a second stick signifies the dual nature of the message. It emphasizes that God's plan involves both kingdoms, and the use of two sticks symbolizes the distinct yet interconnected destinies of Judah and Israel.

and write on it
Reiterating the act of writing reinforces the importance of the message. It ensures that the divine promise is recorded and remembered, serving as a testament to God's faithfulness and the certainty of His word.

‘For Joseph
Joseph, often representing the tribe of Ephraim, symbolizes the northern kingdom. Joseph's legacy is one of resilience and blessing, as seen in his account in Genesis. This reference highlights the inclusion of the northern tribes in God's redemptive plan.

the stick of Ephraim
Ephraim was the dominant tribe in the northern kingdom, often used as a synonym for Israel. The "stick of Ephraim" signifies the leadership and identity of the northern tribes, acknowledging their role and significance in the history of Israel.

and all the house of Israel
This phrase encompasses the entirety of the northern kingdom, emphasizing the collective identity of the tribes. It reflects God's desire to restore and reunite all His people, transcending past divisions and conflicts.

associated with him
Reiterating the association underscores the interconnectedness of the tribes and the shared destiny that God has planned for them. It serves as a reminder of the unity that God intends to restore among His people, fulfilling His covenant promises.

(16) One stick . . . another stick.--These are not rods, as in Numbers 17:6-9, although Ezekiel may have had that event in mind; the word here is an entirely different one, and means simply a piece of wood. The two pieces were, no doubt, so shaped that being firmly held together they would appear as one.

For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions.--The object is to represent by the two pieces of wood the two kingdoms. It would be insufficient, therefore, to mention Judah only; for with him Benjamin had been always associated, and also considerable fragments of the other tribes (2Chronicles 11:16; 2Chronicles 15:9). After the fall of the northern kingdom, individual members of the ten tribes who had not been carried into captivity joined themselves more or less completely to the kingdom of Judah (2Chronicles 30:11-18; 2Chronicles 31:1). . . .

Verse 16. - Take thee one stick, and write. The symbolic action thus prescribed to the prophet was manifestly based on the well-known historical fact that the tribes of Israel, in Mosaic times, had been represented by a rod, on which was inscribed the name of the tribe (Numbers 17:2); but whether the stick Ezekiel was instructed to take was a staff, ῤάβδος (LXX., Hirernick, Hitzig, Kliefoth, and Smend), or a block (Ewald), or simply a piece (Keil, Schroder) of wood on which a few words might be traced, cannot be decided. On the first stick the prophet was directed to write, For Judah, and the house of his companions; i.e. for the southern kingdom and those of the northern tribes who adhered to it, as e.g., Benjamin, Levi, and part of Simeon, with those devout Jehovah-worshippers who from time to time emigrated from other tribes and settled in the land of Judah (2 Chronicles 11:12-16; 2 Chronicles 15:9; 2 Chronicles 30:11, 18, 31; 31:1; though by Wellhausen, Smend, and others, such passages are pronounced unhistorical). On the second stick also the prophet was directed to write; but whether For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for (or, of) all the house of Israel his companions (Authorized and Revised Versions), or "For Joseph and the whole house of Israel" (Keil), or simply "For Joseph" (Ewald, Havernick, Smend), cannot be determined. Each interpretation can be supported by quite reasonable considerations. For the first may be pleaded that it best accords with the natural sense of the text; for the second, that the phrase, the stick of Ephraim, appears to be explanatory of and in opposition to "For Joseph;" for the third, that all the house of Israel stands, like "Ephraim," under the regimen of "stick." The introduction of Joseph as the representative of the northern kingdom rests, not on the fact that Joseph's was the most honorable name among the ten tribes (Havernick), but on the circumstance that the tribe of Joseph, as represented by Ephraim and Manasseh, constituted the main body of the northern kingdom. The addition of Ephraim's name is best accounted for by remembering that in his hand lay the hegemony of the kingdom. "All the house of Israel his companions" signified the rest of the ten tribes. That the two sticks, when joined together in the prophet's hand, were to become one cannot signify that they were then and there to be miraculously united.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“And you,
וְאַתָּ֣ה (wə·’at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

son
בֶן־ (ḇen-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of man,
אָדָ֗ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

take
קַח־ (qaḥ-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

a single
אֶחָ֔ד (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

stick
עֵ֣ץ (‘êṣ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

and write
וּכְתֹ֤ב (ū·ḵə·ṯōḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3789: To grave, to write

on it:
עָלָיו֙ (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

‘Belonging to Judah
לִֽיהוּדָ֔ה (lî·hū·ḏāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

and to the Israelites
וְלִבְנֵ֥י (wə·liḇ·nê)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

associated with him.’
חֲבֵרָ֑יו (ḥă·ḇê·rāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2270: United, associate, companion

Then take
וּלְקַח֙ (ū·lə·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

another
אֶחָ֔ד (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

stick
עֵ֣ץ (‘êṣ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

and write
וּכְת֣וֹב (ū·ḵə·ṯō·wḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3789: To grave, to write

on it:
עָלָ֗יו (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

‘Belonging to Joseph—
לְיוֹסֵף֙ (lə·yō·w·sêp̄)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3130: Joseph -- 'he increases', a son of Jacob, also the name of several Israelites

the stick
עֵ֣ץ (‘êṣ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

of Ephraim—
אֶפְרַ֔יִם (’ep̄·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 669: Ephraim -- a son of Joseph, also his descendants and their territory

and to all
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the house
בֵּ֥ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

associated with him.’
חֲבֵרָֽיו׃ (ḥă·ḇê·rāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2270: United, associate, companion


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 37:16 You son of man take one stick (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 37:15
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