Notice how the verse doesn't just say "Judah" and "Israel" but specifies "Judah and the children of Israel his companions." This highlights that even in division, there were remnants of other tribes who sided with Judah, showing that God’s people were never entirely separated in His eyes. Similarly, "Joseph, the stick of Ephraim" represents the northern kingdom, emphasizing Ephraim's leadership role among the ten tribes.
“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.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
God instructs Ezekiel to take two sticks and write distinguishing names on each: one for Judah and its companions, and the other for Joseph (representing the northern kingdom of Israel, specifically Ephraim) and its companions. This symbolic act sets the stage for God's powerful prophecy of reuniting the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah into one unified people under a single leader.
Imagine holding two distinct pieces of wood, each with a name carved into it. Ezekiel's vision begins with this stark separation.
God instructs Ezekiel to take two distinct 'sticks' or pieces of wood.
The Two Kingdoms
This initial separation of the sticks vividly symbolizes the painful, decades-long division of God's people into two warring kingdoms.
These two separate sticks, representing a fractured nation, are not meant to remain apart. God's message is one of ultimate reconciliation.
The core purpose of Ezekiel's action is to foreshadow a future reunification of the divided people of Israel.
From Two to One
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Understand the original words
ben 'adam · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A title frequently used for the prophet Ezekiel, highlighting his human nature in contrast to the divine majesty of the one who is speaking to him. It emphasizes his role as a representative of humanity before God.
'ets · Hebrew Noun
A piece of wood or a rod; in this context, it functions as a symbolic object representing a tribe or kingdom. In Scripture, it can also signify authority, judgment, or tribal leadership.
Yehudah · Hebrew Proper Noun
The fourth son of Jacob, the tribe from which the royal line of David and the promised Messiah would descend. It represents the southern kingdom of Israel.
Yisra'el · Hebrew Proper Noun
The name of the northern kingdom of Israel, often used synonymously with the ten tribes after the split of the kingdom. It denotes the covenant community of God's people.
Yoseph · Hebrew Proper Noun
The son of Jacob who was sold into Egypt and became a leader there; his name represents the northern tribes of Israel, particularly through his son Ephraim.
Ephrayim · Hebrew Proper Noun
The son of Joseph whose name became the representative head of the northern tribes of Israel. It denotes the leadership and prominence of the northern kingdom.
This prophecy occurs during the Babylonian exile, a time when the descendants of the original unified kingdom are scattered and deeply divided. Ezekiel's symbolic act of joining two sticks vividly illustrates God's future plan to reunite the fractured people of Israel and Judah.
c. 931 BC
Kingdom Divides
Following King Solomon's death, the united monarchy splits into two kingdoms: the northern Kingdom of Israel (ten tribes, led by Ephraim) and the southern Kingdom of Judah (two tribes: Judah and Benjamin). This division creates lasting animosity.
722 BC
Assyria Destroys Northern Kingdom
The powerful Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its citizens. This marks the effective end of the 'ten tribes' as a distinct entity.
586 BC
Babylon Destroys Southern Kingdom
The Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II conquers the Kingdom of Judah, destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, and exiles most of the remaining population.
c. 597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Jehoiachin and many of Judah's leaders are exiled to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel is among this first group, receiving his prophetic call in Babylon.
c. 593 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Vision of Dry Bones
While in exile in Babylon, Ezekiel receives a powerful vision of a valley filled with dry bones. God breathes life into the bones, symbolizing the resurrection of Israel.
539 BC
Cyrus Permits Return from Exile
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus the Great, conquers Babylon. Cyrus issues a decree allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands.
This passage describes Moses being instructed to take rods representing each tribe and writing their names on them, a clear allusion that Ezekiel is building upon to symbolize the separate yet unified identity of Israel's tribes.
Jeremiah 31:31This prophecy speaks of a future New Covenant where God will write His laws on the hearts of His people, signifying a deep internal unity that goes beyond the political division symbolized by the two sticks.
John 11:52This verse states that Jesus would die not only for the nation of Israel but also to gather into one the children of God scattered abroad, echoing the theme of reunification found in Ezekiel's vision.
Ephesians 2:14Paul writes that Christ has made the two (Jew and Gentile) into one new humanity, breaking down the dividing wall of hostility, which reflects the profound unity that God intends for His people beyond tribal divisions.
Hosea 1:11This prophecy directly mentions the reunification of Judah and Israel under one head, explicitly stating they will return together from the land, mirroring the outcome of Ezekiel's symbolic act.
bensonEzekiel 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 37:16-17 . Take thee one stick — That is, one rod. The expression seems to allude to Numbers 17:2 ; where Moses was commanded to take twelve rods, one for each tribe, and to write the name of the tribe upon the rod; for Jud…
clarkeEzekiel 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:"
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 til…
Notice how the verse doesn't just say "Judah" and "Israel" but specifies "Judah and the children of Israel his companions." This highlights that even in division, there were remnants of other tribes who sided with Judah, showing that God’s people were never entirely separated in His eyes. Similarly, "Joseph, the stick of Ephraim" represents the northern kingdom, emphasizing Ephraim's leadership role among the ten tribes.
God instructs Ezekiel to take two sticks and write distinguishing names on each: one for Judah and its companions, and the other for Joseph (representing the northern kingdom of Israel, specifically Ephraim) and its companions. This symbolic act sets the stage for God's powerful prophecy of reuniting the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah into one unified people under a single leader.
God instructs Ezekiel to take two sticks and write distinguishing names on each: one for Judah and its companions, and the other for Joseph (representing the northern kingdom of Israel, specifically Ephraim) and its companions. This symbolic act sets the stage for God's powerful prophecy of reuniting the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah into one unified people under a single leader.
"“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.’" — Notice how the verse doesn't just say "Judah" and "Israel" but specifies "Judah and the children of Israel his companions." This highlights that even in division, there were remnants of other tribe…
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Last reviewed October 2026
