Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones

1 The ahand of the Lord was upon me, and He bbrought me out 1by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the cvalley; and it was full of bones.

2 He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry.

3 He said to me, “Son of man, acan these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord 1God, bYou know.”

4 Again He said to me, “aProphesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, bhear the word of the Lord.’

5 “Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause 1abreath to enter you that you may come to life.

6 ‘I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will aknow that I am the Lord.’ ”

7 So I prophesied aas I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a 1noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

8 And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.

9 Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and abreathe on these slain, that they bcome to life.” ’ ”

10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the abreath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an bexceedingly great army.

The Vision Explained

11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the awhole house of Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our bbones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are 1completely ccut off.’

12 “Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I will open your graves and acause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

13 “Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people.