12. "So prophesy. Tell them, 'The Lord and King says, "My people, I am going to open up your graves. I am going to bring you out of them. I will take you back to the land of Israel.
13. So I will open up your graves and bring you out of them. Then you will know that I am the Lord. You are my people.
14. I will put my Spirit in you. And you will live again. I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I have spoken. I have done it," announces the Lord.' "
15. A message came to me from the Lord. He said,
16. "Son of man, get a stick of wood. Write on it, 'Belonging to the tribe of Judah and the Israelites who are connected with it.' Then get another stick. Write on it, 'Ephraim's stick. Belonging to the tribes of Joseph and all of the Israelites connected with them.'
17. Join them together into one stick in your hand.
18. "The people of your own country will ask you, 'What do you mean by this?'
19. Tell them, 'The Lord and King says, "I am going to get the stick of Joseph and the Israelites connected with it. That stick is in Ephraim's hand. I am going to join it to Judah's stick. They will become a single stick of wood in my hand." '
20. "Show them the sticks you wrote on.