Ezekiel 37

The Valley of Dry Bones

1The LORD’s hand was upon me, and the LORD brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2The LORD led me around among them; and look—there were very many on the surface of the valley, and look—they were very dry. 3And the LORD said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” And I said, “Lord GOD, you know.”

4Then the LORD said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5Thus says the LORD GOD to these bones: Look—I am about to bring breath into you, and you shall live. 6And I will set sinews upon you, and will bring flesh upon you, and will cover you with skin, and will put breath in you, and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.”

7So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and look—a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8And I looked, and look—sinews were on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them.

9Then the LORD said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the LORD GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10So I prophesied as the LORD commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet—an exceedingly great army.

11Then the LORD said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look—they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off.’ 12Therefore prophesy, and say to them: Thus says the LORD GOD: Look—I am about to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live; and I will set you upon your own soil. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it, says the LORD.”

The Two Sticks Become One

15Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 16“And you, mortal, take for yourself one stick and write upon it, ‘For Judah and for the sons of Israel joined with him.’ Then take another stick and write upon it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel joined with him.’ 17Bring them near, one to the other, into one stick, so that they become one in your hand. 18And when the sons of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Will you not tell us what these mean to you?’ 19speak to them: Thus says the LORD GOD: Look, I am taking the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel joined with him, and I will put them upon the stick of Judah and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand. 20The sticks upon which you write shall be in your hand before their eyes.

21Then speak to them: Thus says the LORD GOD: Look, I am taking the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from all around and bring them to their own land. 22I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king over all of them. They shall no longer be two nations, and they shall no longer be divided into two kingdoms. 23They shall no longer defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, or any of their transgressions. I will save them from all their dwelling places in which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

One Shepherd and an Everlasting Covenant

24My servant David shall be king over them, and one shepherd shall be for all of them. They shall walk in my judgments and keep my statutes and do them. 25They shall live upon the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They shall live upon it, they and their children and their children’s children, forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever. 26I will cut a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them. I will set them and multiply them and set my sanctuary in their midst forever. 27My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD who consecrates Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forever.”