Yehezkiel 37:5-14

37:5 This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones: Look, I am about to infuse breath ¹  into you and you will live. 37:6 I will put tendons ²  on you and muscles over you and will cover you with skin; I will put breath ³  in you and you will live. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

37:7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. There was a sound when I prophesied – I heard ⁴  a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 37:8 As I watched, I saw ⁵  tendons on them, then muscles appeared, ⁶  and skin covered over them from above, but there was no breath ⁷  in them.

37:9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, ⁸  – prophesy, son of man – and say to the breath: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these corpses so that they may live.’” 37:10 So I prophesied as I was commanded, and the breath came into them; they lived and stood on their feet, an extremely great army.

37:11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are all the house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ 37:12 Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to open your graves and will raise you from your graves, my people. I will bring you to the land of Israel. 37:13 Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. 37:14 I will place my breath ⁹  in you and you will live; I will give you rest in your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord – I have spoken and I will act, declares the Lord.’”

[37:5]  ¹ tn Heb “I am about to bring a spirit.”

[37:6]  ² tn The exact physiological meaning of the term is uncertain. In addition to v. 8, the term occurs only in Gen 32:33; Job 10:11; 40:17; and Jer 48:4.

[37:6]  ³ tn Or “a spirit.”

[37:7]  ⁴ tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.

[37:8]  ⁵ tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.

[37:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “came up.”

[37:8]  ⁷ tn Or “spirit.”

[37:9]  ⁸ tn Or “spirit,” and several times in this verse.

[37:14]  ⁹ tn Or “spirit.” This is likely an allusion to Gen 2 and God’s breath which creates life.