to attention on Yahweh’s behalf. It may seem absurd to speak to “dry bones,” but Ezekiel is famous for his disregard for convention. Beginning with the citation formula, Ezekiel issues a prophecy to the bones as if they were a living audience. His message consists of a general thesis statement (v. 5b), a fourfold explication, and a concluding statement of the goal or result (v. 6). 5 Anticipation is created in both the hypothetical audience (the bones) and the prophet’s real audience (his fellow