⁵ This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath^[a] enter you, and you will come to life.^{(A) 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.^(B)’”

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;^(C) prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds^(D) and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded^(E) me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.^(F)

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.’^{(G) 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.^{(H) 13} Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord,^(I) when I open your graves and bring you up from them.^{(J) 14} I will put my Spirit^(K) in you and you will live, and I will settle^(L) you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.^(M)’”

² Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake:^(A) some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.^(B)