Ezekiel's Valley of Dry Bones

Illustration of Ezekiel's Valley of Dry Bones

In the book of Ezekiel, during Israel's Babylonian exile, the prophet receives a vision of a valley filled with dry bones that represent the despairing and seemingly hopeless people of Israel. God commands Ezekiel to prophesy over the bones, causing them to reassemble with sinews, flesh, and skin before the divine breath or spirit revives them into a vast living army. This event underscores God's sovereignty and power to restore life from death. The vision ultimately conveys a promise of national restoration for exiled Israel, returning them to their land as a renewed people, while also foreshadowing broader scriptural themes of resurrection and spiritual renewal.

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Details

Category
Prophets
Dreamer
Ezekiel
Interpretation
The restoration of Israel from exile - God will bring His people back to life as a nation.

Key Passages

The Vision

Ezekiel 37:1-14

T1he hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. 4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. 9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. 11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. 12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

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Did You Know?

1

God showed Ezekiel a valley full of very dry bones and asked, 'Can these bones live?'

2

As Ezekiel prophesied, the bones came together, flesh appeared, and breath entered them. a picture of national resurrection.

3

This vision gave hope to Israel in exile that God could restore them from a state of death-like hopelessness.