And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel's honest answer, "O Lord GOD, you know," isn't a cop-out, but a profound acknowledgment that human reason sees only impossibility while faith rests in God's sovereign knowledge and power. This reveals that the prophet, like us, understands the natural impossibility, yet chooses to defer to the Divine perspective.
And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Carried by the Spirit into a valley filled with dry, scattered bones, Ezekiel faces a stark vision of death and hopelessness. God then asks him a challenging question, "Can these bones live?" The prophet's humble reply, "O Lord God, you know," acknowledges the utter impossibility of life from a human perspective, while wisely placing the ultimate power and certainty in God's hands.
Ezekiel stands before a valley filled with bones – utterly lifeless. God asks a question that highlights the stark reality of the situation. What does this exchange reveal about our own limitations?
When God asks Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?” it’s not a question seeking information. God already knows the answer. Instead, the question is designed to make Ezekiel confront the sheer hopelessness of the scene. These bones represent the exiled Israelites, scattered and seemingly beyond any hope of restoration.
The Valley of Despair
This is a powerful reminder for us. We often face situations that seem utterly impossible – personal struggles, relational breakdowns, or societal problems that feel insurmountable.
Ezekiel doesn’t declare it impossible, nor does he offer a hopeful ‘yes.’ His answer is profound, shifting the focus from the bones to the One who can bring life from death. What does this teach us about the nature of faith?
Ezekiel’s response, “O Lord GOD, you know,” is a masterpiece of faith. It acknowledges the bleak reality without succumbing to despair. It rests on the ultimate truth: God knows what He can do, and He has the power to do it.
Ask a follow-up
Trusting the All-Knowing
This is the essence of faith: not denying the difficulty, but believing in God’s capacity to act, regardless of appearances.
Understand the original words
ben adam · Hebrew Noun phrase
A Hebrew idiom used primarily in Ezekiel to address the prophet, emphasizing his humanity in contrast to the majesty and holiness of the LORD. It highlights the vast distance between the creature and the Creator.
Adonai YHWH · Hebrew Noun phrase
The title for God that expresses His absolute sovereignty, majesty, and lordship over all creation. It is a combination of the name Adonai (Lord/Master) and Yahweh (the self-existent, covenant-keeping name of God).
The vision of dry bones was given to Ezekiel while he and his people were in Babylonian exile, a time when the nation of Judah was physically and spiritually decimated. The question 'Can these bones live?' reflects the absolute despair and hopelessness of the exiles, who saw themselves as a dead nation, scattered and forgotten.
c. 597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, invades Judah and deports King Jehoiachin and many of the people, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Deportation
After a prolonged siege, Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its temple, deporting the remaining significant population to Babylon. This devastates the nation and leaves Judah as a desolate land.
c. 586 BC - 571 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Ministry in Exile
Ezekiel receives visions and prophecies in Babylon, ministering to the exiled community who feel hopeless and abandoned. The vision of the dry bones is given during this period of national despair.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon
The Persian Empire, led by Cyrus the Great, conquers Babylon. This political shift eventually leads to the end of the Babylonian exile.
538 BC
Cyrus's Decree and Return from Exile
Cyrus allows the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the restoration period, though many remained in exile.
This passage directly echoes Ezekiel's sentiment, showing Jeremiah's awe at God's power and acknowledging that 'nothing is too hard for you, O Lord GOD,' a profound agreement with Ezekiel's 'you know.'
John 5:28-29Jesus speaks of a future resurrection where 'all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out,' directly connecting to the theme of life from the dead that the dry bones represent.
Romans 4:17Paul references God as 'the God who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist,' which mirrors the 'can these bones live?' question and God's power to bring life from apparent death.
Hebrews 11:19This verse highlights Abraham's faith in receiving Isaac 'back from the dead, in a figurative sense,' illustrating the principle that faith can operate even when circumstances appear utterly impossible, much like Ezekiel's implicit faith in God's knowledge.
clarkeEzekiel 37:3: "And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest."
Can these bones live? - Is it possible that the persons whose bones these are can return to life?
jfbEzekiel 37:3: "And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest."
- can these bones live? … thou knowest—implying that, humanly speaking, they could not; but faith leaves the question of possibility to rest with God, with whom nothing is impossible (De 32:39). An image of Christian faith which believes in the coming general resurrection of the dead, in spite of all appearances against it, because God has said it (Joh 5:21; Ro 4:17; 2Co 1:9).
Ezekiel's honest answer, "O Lord GOD, you know," isn't a cop-out, but a profound acknowledgment that human reason sees only impossibility while faith rests in God's sovereign knowledge and power. This reveals that the prophet, like us, understands the natural impossibility, yet chooses to defer to the Divine perspective.
Carried by the Spirit into a valley filled with dry, scattered bones, Ezekiel faces a stark vision of death and hopelessness. God then asks him a challenging question, "Can these bones live?" The prophet's humble reply, "O Lord God, you know," acknowledges the utter impossibility of life from a human perspective, while wisely placing the ultimate power and certainty in God's hands.
Carried by the Spirit into a valley filled with dry, scattered bones, Ezekiel faces a stark vision of death and hopelessness. God then asks him a challenging question, "Can these bones live?" The prophet's humble reply, "O Lord God, you know," acknowledges the utter impossibility of life from a human perspective, while wisely placing the ultimate power and certainty in God's hands.
"And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.”" — Ezekiel's honest answer, "O Lord GOD, you know," isn't a cop-out, but a profound acknowledgment that human reason sees only impossibility while faith rests in God's sovereign knowledge and power. Thi…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026