7. So I prophesied as I had been commanded. While I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.
8. As I looked, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9. He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man. Say to it: This is what the Lord God says: Breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain so that they may live! ”
10. So I prophesied as He commanded me; the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.
11. Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look how they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’
12. Therefore, prophesy and say to them: This is what the Lord God says: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them, My people, and lead you into the land of Israel.
13. You will know that I am Yahweh, My people, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.
14. I will put My Spirit in you, and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I am Yahweh. I have spoken, and I will do it.” This is the declaration of the Lord.
15. The word of the Lord came to me:
16. “Son of man, take a single stick and write on it: Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him. Then take another stick and write on it: Belonging to Joseph — the stick of Ephraim — and all the house of Israel associated with him.
17. Then join them together into a single stick so that they become one in your hand.
18. When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you explain to us what you mean by these things? ’ —
19. tell them: This is what the Lord God says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel associated with him, and put them together with the stick of Judah. I will make them into a single stick so that they become one in My hand.
20. “When the sticks you have written on are in your hand and in full view of the people,