“The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,”
Spirit, by a divine impulse. He was not really removed. (Menochius) (Calmet) — Bones. “This passage is very famous.” (St. Jerome) — It insinuates the liberation of the captives and of the Gentiles, as well as the mystery of the resurrection. (Worthington) — If this were not to take place, it would not be adduced as a figure. (Tertullian) (St. Jerome)
“Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:”
Spirit. That is, life, soul, and breath. (Challoner) — At the resurrection, the same souls shall return to their respective bodies.
“So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.”
Noise of the bones moving, which denotes the wars of Cyrus and the hurry of the nations to which he restored liberty.
“Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. wind: or, breath”
Spirit; wind or soul. The latter animates the body, as the grace (Calmet) of the Holy Spirit does the soul. (Haydock)
“Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.”
Off, like branches. Notwithstanding these desponding thoughts, God will restore his people, (Worthington) by means of Cyrus. The grave is often put for punishment and grievous calamities, Osee vi. 3.
“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:”
Associates. When Jeroboam caused the division, some of Israel adhered to Juda. The prophet glued the pieces of wood together, or engrafted them one into the other, to shew that all the people should be united, and the Jews and Gentiles concur to form one church. (Calmet) (Romans xi. 17.) — Before the latter event took place God united the two kingdoms, to teach us that when we labour for the conversion of heretics, as in England, Catholics must first agree among themselves, that so all may more easily become one fold under one shepherd. (Worthington)
“And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:”
King. The Jews were long without kings, after the captivity; then they were not of the tribe of Juda, and all did not return. Christ fulfils the prediction.
“Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.”
Idols. The Jews, even many of the priests, worshipped them, under Antiochus. (Calmet) — But the Church is never defiled. (Haydock)
“And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.”
David; Christ, the one shepherd, (John x.) over all nations. (Worthington) — This cannot refer to Zorobabel, who was never king, nor perhaps even governor; as Sasabasar, who seems to have been a Persian, was appointed by Cyrus, 1 Esdras i. 8. — Shepherd. David have been one. (Calmet) — This title is more modest than that of king. (St. Jerome)
“And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.”
Ever. Let the Jews shew how this has been accomplished. We know that Christ preserves and rule his Church unto the end.
“Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.”
Peace. Can this regard the synagogue? Not a century passed without some flagrant misconduct, or chastisement. But our Saviour is the mediator of peace, Philippians iv. 7. (Calmet)