Study Desk

The Valley of Dry Bones

The hand of the Lord was on me,^(a) and he brought me out by the Spirit^(b) of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley;^(c) it was full of bones.^(d)

He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.

He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "Sovereign Lord , you alone know.^(e)"

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord !^(f)

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath^[a] enter you, and you will come to life.^(g)

I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord .^(h)'"

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.

I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath;⁽ⁱ⁾ prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds^(j) and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'"

So I prophesied as he commanded^(k) me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.^(l)

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.'^(m)

Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.⁽ⁿ⁾

Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord ,^(o) when I open your graves and bring you up from them.^(p)

I will put my Spirit^(q) in you and you will live, and I will settle^(r) you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord .^(s)'"