Chapter 37 : Third of four visions of Ezekiel

"A certain valley" full of "dry bones"

Book of the Prophet Ezekiel chapter 37

verses 1 - 14 (CEB Study Bible,

published in 2013) : Common English

The Lord's power overcame me, and while I was in the

Lord's spirit, he led me out and set me down in the

middle of a certain valley.  It was full of bones.  He led me 

through them and they were very dry. He asked me,

Human one, can these bones live again?

I said, "Lord God, only you know."

He said to me, Prophesy over these bones, and

say to them, Dry bones, hear the Lord's word!

The Lord God proclaims to these bones: I am

about to put breath in you, and you will live

again.  I will put sinews on you, place flesh on

you, and cover you with skin.  When I put breath

in you and you come to life, you will know that

I am the Lord.

I prophesied just as I was commanded.  There

was a great noise as I was prophesying, then a

great quaking, and the bones came together, bone

by bone.  When I looked, suddenly there were

sinews on them.  The flesh appeared, and then 

they were covered over with skin.  But there was

still no breath in them.  He said to me,

Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, human one!

Say to the breath, The Lord God proclaims:

Come from the four winds, breath!  Breathe

into these dead bodies and let them live.

I prophesied just as he commanded me.  When 

the breath entered them, they came to life and

stood on their feet, an extraordinarily large company.

He said to me,

Human one, these bones are the entire house

of Israel.  They say, 'Our bones are dried up,

and our hope has perished.  We are completely

finished.' So now, prophesy and say to them,

The Lord God proclaims: I'm opening your

graves!  I will raise you up from your graves,

my people, and I will bring you to Israel's fertile

land.  You will know that I am the Lord, when

I open your graves and raise you up from your

graves, my people.  I will put my breath /

spirit in you, and you will live.  I will plant

you on your fertile land, and you will know 

that I am the Lord.  I've spoken and I will do 

it.  This is what the Lord says.