12. So prophesy. Tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: My people, I will open your graves and take you out of them. I will bring you to Israel.
13. Then, my people, you will know that I am the Lord, because I will open your graves and bring you out of your graves.
14. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live. I will place you in your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’ ”
15. The Lord spoke his word to me again. He said,
16. “Son of man, take a stick and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the Israelites who are associated with it.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘The stick of Ephraim, for Joseph and for all the people of Israel associated with it.’
17. Then join both sticks together so that they will be one in your hand. Your people will say to you,
18. ‘Tell us what you mean by this.’
19. Then say to them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will take Joseph’s stick, which is in Ephraim’s hand, and the tribes of Israel associated with it, and I will put them with Judah’s stick. I will make them into one stick. They will be one in my hand.’
20. When you hold the sticks in your hand, let the people see them.