The dry bones
Ezekiel 37:1-14
God took the prophet Ezekiel to a valley full of dry bones. At his word, the bones came together, were covered with flesh and, when the spirit came into them, stood up. It was the promise that the people in exile would live again. Ezekiel 37:1-14
The story, in plain words
The Lord brought the prophet Ezekiel, in the spirit, to a valley full of bones. A prophet is someone who speaks for God. Ezekiel 37:1
There were a great many bones, and they were very dry. Ezekiel 37:2
God asked him whether those bones could live again. Ezekiel answered that only God knew. Ezekiel 37:3
God told him to speak to the bones on God’s behalf. God promised them sinews, flesh, skin and spirit, so that they would live. Ezekiel 37:4-6 Ezekiel obeyed. As he…
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See the mapWhat the Bible says
Ezekiel 37:1-14
1The hand of the Lord was upon me, and brought me forth in the spirit of the Lord: and set me down in the midst of a plain that was full of bones. 2And he led me about through them on every side: now they were very many upon the face of the plain, and they were exceeding dry. 3And he said to me: Son of man, dost thou think these bones shall live? And I answered: O Lord God, thou knowest. 4And he said to me: Prophesy concerning these bones; and say to them: Ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5Thus saith the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will send spirit into you, and you shall live. 6And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to grow over you, and will cover you with skin: and I will give you spirit and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord. 7And I prophesied as he had commanded me: and as I prophesied there was a noise, and behold a commotion: and the bones came together, each one to its joint. 8And I saw, and behold the sinews, and the flesh came up upon them: and the skin was stretched out over them, but there was no spirit in them. 9And he said to me: Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, O son of man, and say to the spirit: Thus saith the Lord God: Come, spirit, from the four winds, and blow upon these slain, and let them live again. 10And I prophesied as he had commanded me: and the spirit came into them, and they lived: and they stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. 11And he said to me: Son of man: All these bones are the house of Israel: they say: Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost, and we are cut off. 12Therefore prophesy, and say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will open your graves, and will bring you out of your sepulchres, O my people: and will bring you into the land of Israel. 13And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have opened your sepulchres, and shall have brought you out of your graves, O my people: 14And shall have put my spirit in you, and you shall live, and I shall make you rest upon your own land: and you shall know that I the Lord have spoken, and done it, saith the Lord God:
Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.
To talk about together
- The people said their hope was lost. What things make us feel like those dry bones?
- God asked Ezekiel a question before acting. Why do you think God asked him?
- For the child: What makes you feel like yourself again when you are sad?