33 “Thus says the Lord God: On the day that (A)I cleanse you from all your iniquities, (B)I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. 34 And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. 35 And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like (C)the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ 36 Then (D)the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and (E)replanted that which was desolate. (F)I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.

37 “Thus says the Lord God: This also (G)I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: (H)to increase their people like (I)a flock. 38 Like the flock for sacrifices,[a] (J)like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so (K)shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. (L)Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

The Valley of Dry Bones

37 (M)The hand of the Lord was upon me, and (N)he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley;[b] it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, (O)“Son of man, (P)can these bones live?” And (Q)I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, (R)“Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, (S)O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause (T)breath[c] to enter you, and you shall live. (U)And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and (V)cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, (W)and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

So I prophesied (X)as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, (Y)a rattling,[d] and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But (Z)there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, (AA)“Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, (AB)son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from (AC)the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied (AD)as he commanded me, and (AE)the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

11 Then he said to me, (AF)“Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and (AG)our hope is lost; (AH)we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore (AI)prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, (AJ)I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And (AK)I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And (AL)you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And (AM)I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; (AN)I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 36:38 Hebrew flock of holy things
  2. Ezekiel 37:1 Or plain; also verse 2
  3. Ezekiel 37:5 Or spirit; also verses 6, 9, 10
  4. Ezekiel 37:7 Or an earthquake (compare 3:12, 13)

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