37 The Lord took hold of me with great power. In a vision, the Lord 's Spirit took me to the middle of a valley. Bones covered all the ground there. 2 The Lord made me walk up and down among the bones. I could see many bones there, on the ground in the valley. They were completely dry.
3 He asked me, ‘Son of man, can these bones become alive again?’
I said, ‘Almighty Lord , only you know the answer.’
4 Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones. Say to them, “Dry bones, listen to the Lord 's message! 5 This is what the Almighty Lord says to you bones: Listen! I will put breath into you and you will become alive. 6 I will join you together and I will put meat on you. I will cover you with skin. I will put breath into you and you will become alive. Then you will know that I am the Lord .” ’ [ b ]
7 So I prophesied, as the Lord had commanded me to do. While I was still speaking, there was a noise. It was the sound of the bones as they knocked against each other when they joined together. 8 While I watched, I saw meat come and join to the bones. Then skin covered them. But there was no breath in them yet.
9 Then the Lord said to me, ‘Prophesy to the wind, son of man. Speak my message to the wind. Say, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: Blow from all directions and put breath into these dead bodies! Cause them to become alive again.” ’
10 So I spoke the message that the Lord had commanded me to speak. Breath went into those dead bodies and they became alive. They stood up on their feet. They were as many as a great army.
11 Then the Lord said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are a picture of all Israel's people. The Israelites are saying, “Our bones are dead and dry. There are no good things that we can hope for. We have come to an end.” 12 So prophesy and say to them, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: Listen, my people! I will soon open up your graves. I will bring you out of your graves. I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When that happens to you, my people, you will know that I am the Lord . 14 I will put the breath of my Spirit in you, and you will become alive. I will let you live safely in your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord , have spoken. You will know that I have done what I said I would do. That is what the Lord says.” ’ [ c ]
15 The Lord gave this message to me: 16 ‘Son of man, take a stick and write on it, “This stick belongs to Judah and the Israelite tribes that are with him.” Then take another stick and write on it, “This stick belongs to Joseph's son Ephraim and the Israelite tribes that are with him.” [ d ] 17 Make the two sticks join together to become one stick in your hand. 18 Your people will ask you, “Please tell us what this means.” 19 When they ask that, say to them, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will take Joseph's stick that belongs to Ephraim and the Israelite tribes that are with him. I will cause it to join together with Judah's stick. I will make them become one stick in my hand.”
20 Hold the two sticks that you have written words on. Hold them in your hand for the people to see. 21 Say to the people, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will take Israel's people out from among the nations where they have gone. I will bring them back together from all those foreign countries. I will bring them to their own land. 22 In that land, I will make them become one nation. They will live on Israel's mountains. They will have one king to rule over them all. They will never again become two nations or two separate kingdoms. 23 They will no longer worship their disgusting idols and make themselves unclean. They will not refuse to obey me. They have turned away from me and done bad things. But I will save them from all their sins. I will make them clean. They will be my people and I will be their God.
24 My servant David will be their king. There will be one shepherd who takes care of them all. They will carefully obey my rules and my laws. 25 They will live in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob. It is the land where your ancestors lived. My people, their children and their grandchildren will live there. They will live there for ever. My servant David will rule over them for ever. [ e ]
26 I will make a covenant with them to give them peace. It is a promise to my people that will continue for ever. I will cause them to live safely in their land. I will cause them to grow in number. I will put my temple among them, to be with them for ever. 27 I will make my home with them. I will be their God and they will be my people. 28 Then the nations will know that I, the Lord , have chosen the Israelites as my own people. The nations will see that I have put my temple among my people for ever.” ’
37 The Lord ’s power came on me. The Spirit [ a ] of the Lord carried me out of the city and put me down in the middle of the valley. [ b ] The valley was full of dead men’s bones. 2 There were many bones lying on the ground in the valley. The Lord made me walk all around among the bones. I saw the bones were very dry.
3 Then the Lord said to me, “Son of man, [ c ] can these bones come to life?”
I answered, “Lord God , only you know the answer to that question.”
4 Then he said to me, “Speak to these bones for me. Tell them, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord ! 5 This is what the Lord God says to you: I will cause breath [ d ] to come into you, and you will come to life! 6 I will put sinew and muscles on you, and I will cover you with skin. Then I will put breath in you, and you will come back to life! Then you will know that I am the Lord .’”
7 So I spoke to the bones for the Lord , as he said. I was still speaking, when I heard the loud noise. The bones began to rattle, and bone joined together with bone! 8 There before my eyes, I saw sinew and muscles begin to cover the bones. Skin began to cover them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then the Lord said to me, “Speak to the wind [ e ] for me. Son of man, speak to the wind for me. Tell the wind that this is what the Lord God says: ‘Wind, come from every direction and breathe air into these dead bodies! Breathe into them and they will come to life again!’”
10 So I spoke to the wind for the Lord , as he said, and the breath came into the dead bodies. They came to life and stood up. There were many men—a very large army!
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are like the whole family of Israel. The people of Israel say, ‘Our bones have dried up; [ f ] our hope is gone. We have been completely destroyed!’ 12 So speak to them for me. Tell them this is what the Lord God says: ‘My people, I will open your graves and bring you up out of them! Then I will bring you to the land of Israel. 13 My people, I will open your graves and bring you up out of your graves, and then you will know that I am the Lord . 14 I will put my Spirit [ g ] in you, and you will come to life again. Then I will lead you back to your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord . You will know that I said this and that I made it happen.’” This is what the Lord said.
15 The word of the Lord came to me again. He said, 16 “Son of man, get one stick and write this message on it: ‘This stick belongs to Judah and his friends, [ h ] the people of Israel.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘This stick of Ephraim belongs to Joseph and his friends, the people of Israel.’ 17 Then join the two sticks together. In your hand, they will be one stick.
18 “Your people will ask you to explain what that means. 19 Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim and his friends, the people of Israel. Then I will put that stick with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick. In my hand, they will become one stick!’
20 “Take the sticks that you wrote on and hold them in front of you. 21 Tell the people that this is what the Lord God says: ‘I will gather the people of Israel from among the nations. I will gather them from all around and bring them back to their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in their land among the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over them all. They will no longer be two nations. They will not be split into two kingdoms anymore. 23 And they will no longer continue to make themselves filthy with their idols and horrible statues or with any of their other crimes. Instead, I will save them from all the places where they have sinned, and I will wash them and make them pure. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
24 “‘And my servant David will be the king over them. There will be only one shepherd over all of them. They will live by my rules and obey my laws. They will do the things I tell them. 25 They will live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob. Your ancestors lived in that place, and my people will live there. They and their children and their grandchildren will live there forever. My servant David will be their leader forever. 26 And I will make a peace agreement with them. This agreement will continue forever. I agree to give them their land. I agree to make them numerous and to put my holy place among them forever. 27 My Holy Tent will be with them. Yes, I will be their God and they will be my people. 28 The other nations will know that I am the Lord , and they will know that I make Israel my special people by putting my holy place there among them forever.’”
37 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,
2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God , thou knowest.
4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord .
5 Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord .
7 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.
8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
9 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.
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
11 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.
12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God ; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
13 And ye shall know that I am the Lord , when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord .
15 The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,
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:
17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?
19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God ; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.
20 And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.
21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God ; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
22 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.
23 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.
24 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.
25 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.
26 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.
27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
28 And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
37 The ( A ) hand of the Lord was upon me, and He ( B ) brought me out [ a ] by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the ( C ) valley; and it was full of bones. 2 He had me pass among them all around, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and behold, they were very dry. 3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, ( D ) can these bones live?” And I answered, “Lord [ b ] God , ( E ) You Yourself know.” 4 Again He said to me, “ ( F ) Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘You dry bones, ( G ) hear the word of the Lord .’ 5 This is what the Lord God says to these bones: ‘Behold, I am going to make [ c ] ( H ) breath enter you so that you may come to life. 6 And I will [ d ] attach tendons to you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin, and put breath in you so that you may come to life; and you will ( I ) know that I am the Lord .’”
7 So I prophesied ( J ) as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a loud noise, and behold, a [ e ] rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, tendons were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘The Lord God says this: “Come from the four winds, breath, and ( K ) breathe on these slain, so that they ( L ) come to life.”’” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the ( M ) breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an ( N ) exceedingly great army.
11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the ( O ) entire house of Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our ( P ) bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are [ f ] completely ( Q ) cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Behold, I am going to open your graves and ( R ) cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 Then you will know that I am the Lord , when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. 14 And I will ( S ) put My [ g ] Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord , have spoken and done it,” declares the Lord .’”
15 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying, 16 “Now you, son of man, take for yourself ( T ) one stick and write on it, ‘For ( U ) Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For ( V ) Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.’ 17 Then ( W ) put them together for yourself one to another into one stick, so that they may become one in your hand. 18 And when the sons of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Will you not declare to us ( X ) what [ h ] you mean by these?’ 19 say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Behold, I am going to take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand.”’ 20 The sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes. 21 And say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Behold, I am going to ( Y ) take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; 22 and I will make them ( Z ) one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and ( AA ) one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations, and no longer be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will ( AB ) no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their offenses; but ( AC ) I will rescue them from all their [ i ] dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God.
24 “And My servant ( AD ) David will be king over them, and they will all have ( AE ) one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances, and keep My statutes and [ j ] follow them. 25 And they will live on the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons and their sons’ sons, forever; and My servant ( AF ) David will be their leader forever. 26 And I will make a ( AG ) covenant of peace with them; it will be an ( AH ) everlasting covenant with them. And I will [ k ] place them and ( AI ) multiply them, and set My ( AJ ) sanctuary in their midst forever. 27 My ( AK ) dwelling place also will be among them; and ( AL ) I will be their God, and they will be My people. 28 And the nations will know that I am the Lord ( AM ) who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.”’”
37 The hand of the Lord was on me, ( A ) and he brought me out by the Spirit ( B ) of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; ( C ) it was full of bones. ( D ) 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign Lord , you alone know. ( E ) ”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord ! ( F ) 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath [ a ] enter you, and you will come to life. ( G ) 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord . ( H ) ’”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; ( I ) prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds ( J ) and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded ( K ) me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army. ( L )
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ ( M ) 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ( N ) 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord , ( O ) when I open your graves and bring you up from them. ( P ) 14 I will put my Spirit ( Q ) in you and you will live, and I will settle ( R ) you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord . ( S ) ’”
15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, ‘Belonging to Judah and the Israelites ( T ) associated with him. ( U ) ’ Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, ‘Belonging to Joseph (that is, to Ephraim) and all the Israelites associated with him.’ 17 Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand. ( V )
18 “When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you tell us what you mean by this?’ ( W ) 19 say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in Ephraim’s hand—and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick. I will make them into a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.’ ( X ) 20 Hold before their eyes the sticks you have written on 21 and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. ( Y ) 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. ( Z ) There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. ( AA ) 23 They will no longer defile ( AB ) themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, [ b ] ( AC ) and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. ( AD )
24 “‘My servant David ( AE ) will be king ( AF ) over them, and they will all have one shepherd. ( AG ) They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. ( AH ) 25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. ( AI ) They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, ( AJ ) and David my servant will be their prince forever. ( AK ) 26 I will make a covenant of peace ( AL ) with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. ( AM ) I will establish them and increase their numbers, ( AN ) and I will put my sanctuary among them ( AO ) forever. ( AP ) 27 My dwelling place ( AQ ) will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. ( AR ) 28 Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy, ( AS ) when my sanctuary is among them forever. ( AT ) ’”
