1 The hand of the LORD was upon me. He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of the valley, which was full of bones. 2 He led me around among them on every side. There were very many on the surface of the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Lord GOD, you know.” 4 He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 This is what the Lord GOD says to these bones: I will bring breath into you, and you will live. 6 I will put tendons on you, bring flesh upon you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ” 7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound, a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were tendons upon them, flesh had grown, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe into these slain, so that they may live.’ ” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me. The breath entered them, and they lived and stood on their feet, a very, very great army.

11 He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the entire house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost. We are cut off completely.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: I will open your graves and bring you up from your graves, my people, and bring you into the land of Israel.

13 You will know that I am the LORD when I open your graves and bring you up from your graves, my people. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live. I will settle you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it, declares the LORD.’ ”

15 The word of the LORD came to me: 16 “As for you, son of man, take one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah and the people of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel, his companions.’ 17 Join them to each other into one stick, so that they become one in your hand. 18 When your people ask you, ‘Will you not tell us what these things mean to you?’ 19 tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: I will take the stick of Joseph that is in Ephraim’s hand and the tribes of Israel, his companions, and put them together with the stick of Judah. I will make them one stick, and they will be one in my hand.’ 20 The sticks on which you write are to be in your hand before their eyes. 21 Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: I will take the people of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will be king over all of them. They will no longer be two nations or ever again be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, or any of their transgressions. I will save them from all their dwelling places where they have sinned and cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 24 My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my ordinances, keep my statutes, and carry them out. 25 They will live on the land I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They, their children, and their children’s children will live on it forever, and my servant David will be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them. I will establish them and multiply them, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling will be over them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 The nations will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary is among them forever.’ ”