Ezekiel 37:1-14
NLT[37] (1) The LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley filled with bones. (2) He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. (3) Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?” “O Sovereign LORD,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.” (4) Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, “Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD! (5) This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! (6) I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD .” (7) So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. (8) Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them. (9) Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.” (10) So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet?a great army. (11) Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ?We have become old, dry bones?all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.” (12) Therefore, prophesy to them and say, “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. (13) When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the LORD . (14) I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the LORD has spoken!” |
NRSV[37] (1) The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. (2) He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. (3) He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” (4) Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. (5) Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. (6) I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.” (7) So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. (8) I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. (9) Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” (10) I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. (11) Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ (12) Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. (13) And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. (14) I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.” |