Ezekiel 37:1-14

Expanded Bible

The Vision of Dry Bones

37 I felt the ·power [^Lhand] of the Lord on me, and he brought me out by the ·Spirit [or spirit] of the Lord and put me down in the middle of a valley. It was full of bones. ² He led me around among the bones, and I saw that there were many bones in the valley and [^Llook; ^Tbehold] that they were very dry. ³ Then he asked me, “·Human [^TSon of man; 2:1], can these bones live?”

I answered, “Lord God, only you know.”

⁴ He said to me, “Prophesy ·to [over] these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. ⁵ This is what the Lord God says to the bones: I will cause breath to enter you so you will come to life. ⁶ I will put ·muscles [tendons; sinews] on you and flesh on you and cover you with skin. Then I will put breath in you so you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. While I prophesied, there was a noise and a rattling. The bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ I looked and saw ·muscles [sinews; tendons] come on the bones, and flesh grew, and skin covered the bones. But there was no breath in them.

⁹ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the ·wind [breath; Spirit]. Prophesy, ·human [^Tson of man; 2:1], and say to the ·wind [breath; Spirit], ‘This is what the Lord God says: ·Wind [Breath; Spirit], come from the four winds, and breathe on these ·people who were killed [slain] so they can come back to life.’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as the Lord commanded me. And the ·breath [wind; Spirit] came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, a very large army.

¹¹ Then he said to me, “·Human [^TSon of man; 2:1], these bones are like all the ·people [^Lhouse] of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has ·gone [perished]. We are ·destroyed [cut off].’ ¹² So, prophesy and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: [^LLook; ^TBehold] My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves. Then I will bring you into the land of Israel. ¹³ My people, you will know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and cause you to come up from them. ¹⁴ And I will put my ·Spirit [breath; wind] inside you, and you will come to life. Then I will ·put [settle] you in your own land. And you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and ·done it [or will do it], says the Lord.’”