Ezekiel 37

The valley of bones

1The hand of the LORD came upon me. He brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley full of bones. 2He led me all around them. There were very many bones across the valley, and they were very dry. 3He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I answered, “Lord GOD, you know.” 4Then he told me, “Prophesy over these bones. Say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5This is what the Lord GOD says to these bones: I am bringing breath into you, and you will live. 6I will put sinews on you, bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin, and put breath into you. You will live, and you will know that I am the LORD.’” 7So I prophesied as I was commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound—a rattling—and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8I looked: sinews were on them, flesh had grown, and skin covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9He told me, “Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath: This is what the Lord GOD says: Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe into these slain, so they may live.” 10I prophesied as he commanded me. Breath entered them; they lived and stood on their feet, an immense army. 11He told me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones have dried up, our hope is lost, and we are cut off.’ 12Therefore prophesy and tell them: This is what the Lord GOD says: I am opening your graves and bringing you up from them, my people. I will bring you to Israel’s soil. 13Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them, my people. 14I will put my spirit within you, and you will live. I will settle you on your own soil. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it, declares the LORD.”

Two sticks become one

15The word of the LORD came to me: 16“Son of man, take a stick and write on it, ‘For Judah and the Israelites joined to him.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph—the stick of Ephraim—and all the house of Israel joined to him.’ 17Bring them together into one stick, so they become one in your hand. 18When your people ask, ‘Will you not tell us what these mean?’ 19tell them: This is what the Lord GOD says: I am taking Joseph’s stick, which is in Ephraim’s hand, and the tribes of Israel joined to him. I will join them to Judah’s stick and make them one stick. They will be one in my hand. 20Hold the sticks you have written on before their eyes. 21Tell them: This is what the Lord GOD says: I am taking the Israelites from the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them to their own soil. 22I will make them one nation in the land, on Israel’s mountains. One king will rule them all. They will no longer be two nations, never again divided into two kingdoms. 23They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, detestable things, or any of their rebellions. I will save them from all the places where they have lived and sinned, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 24My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my judgments, keep my statutes, and carry them out. 25They will live in the land I gave my servant Jacob, where your ancestors lived. They, their children, and their children’s children will live there forever, and my servant David will be their prince forever. 26I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and make them numerous, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. 27My dwelling will be over them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28Then the nations will know that I, the LORD, make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.”