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The Bones and the Spirit

The hand of the Lord was upon me. He brought me out and led me in spirit to the middle of the valley, which was full of bones.

He made me walk back and forth among them, and I saw there was a large number of bones on the ground throughout the valley; and they were very dry.

The Lord said to me: “Son of man, can these bones live again?” I replied: “Lord God, only You know that.”

He then said: “Speak on my behalf concerning these bones; say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!

The Lord says: I am going to put spirit in you and make you live.

I will put sinews on you and make flesh grow on you; I will cover you with skin and give you my Spirit so that you may live. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

I prophesied as I had been commanded, and then, there was a noise and commotion; the bones joined together.

I looked and saw that they had sinews, and flesh was growing on them; and that he was covering them with skin. But there was no spirit in them.

So the Lord said to me: “Speak on my behalf and call on the spirit, son of man! Say to the spirit: This is the word of the Lord: spirit, come from the four winds. Breathe into these dead bones and let them live!”

I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life, standing on their feet—a great, vast army!

He then said to me: “Son of man, these bones are all Israel. They keep saying: ‘Our bones are dry, hope has gone, it is the end of us.’

So prophesy! Say to them: This is what the Lord says: I am going to open your tombs; I will bring you out of your tombs, my people; and lead you back to the land of Israel.

You will know that I am the Lord, O my people! When I open your graves and bring you out of your graves,

when I put my spirit in you, and you live. I will settle you in your land, and you will know that I, the Lord, have done what I said I would do.”