These Dry Bones are the House of Israel
Important note: the dry bones seem more connected to Ephraim than to Judah, but both may be applicable.
Ezekiel 37:1-28
(1) The hand of יהוה was upon me and took me out by the Spirit of יהוה, and set me down in the midst of the valley. And it was filled with bones.
(2) And He made me pass among them, all around, and see, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and see, they were very dry.
(3) And He said to me, “Son of man, would these bones live?” And I said, “O Master יהוה, You know.”
(4) Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and you shall say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of יהוה (YHVH)!
(5) ‘Thus said the Master יהוה to these bones, “See, I am bringing into you a spirit, and you shall live.
(6) “And I shall put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, and cover you with skin and put a spirit in you, and you shall live. And you shall know that I am יהוה (YHVH).” ’ ”
(7) And I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a noise, and there was a rattling. And the bones came together, bone to bone.
(8) And I looked and saw sinews and flesh came upon them, and skin covered them, but there was no spirit in them.
(9) He then said to me, “Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, son of man, and you shall say to the spirit, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “Come from the four winds, O spirit, and breathe on these slain, so that they live.” ’ ”
(10) And I prophesied as He commanded me, and the spirit came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, a very great army.
(11) And He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are all the house of Yisra’el. See, they say, ‘Our bones are dry, our expectancy has perished, and we ourselves have been cut off!’
(12) “Therefore prophesy, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, O My people, I am opening your graves, and shall bring you up from your graves, and shall bring you into the land of Yisra’el.
(13) “And you shall know that I am יהוה, when I open your graves, O My people, and bring you up from your graves.
(14) “And I shall put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I shall settle you in your own land. And you shall know that I יהוה have spoken, and I have done it,” declares יהוה (YHVH).’ ”
The Stick of Ephraim United with the Stick of Judah
Important note: both sticks have "companions".
(15) And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,
(16) “And you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it, ‘For Judah and for the children of Yisra’el, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Yoseph, the stick of Ephrayim, and for all the house of Yisra’el, his companions.’
(17) “Then bring them together for yourself into one stick, and they shall become one in your hand.
(18) “And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’
(19) say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the stick of Yoseph, which is in the hand of Ephrayim, and the tribes of Yisra’el, his companions. And I shall give them unto him, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand.” ’
(20) “And the sticks on which you write shall be in your hand before their eyes.
(21) “And speak to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the children of Yisra’el from among the gentiles, wherever they have gone, and shall gather them from all around, and I shall bring them into their land.
(22) “And I shall make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Yisra’el. And one sovereign shall be sovereign over them all, and let them no longer be two nations, and let them no longer be divided into two reigns.
(23) “And they shall no longer defile themselves with their idols, nor with their disgusting matters, nor with any of their transgressions. And I shall save them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and I shall cleanse them. And they shall be My people, and I be their Elohim,
(24) while David My servant is sovereign over them. And they shall all have one shepherd and walk in My right-rulings and guard My laws, and shall do them.
(25) “And they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt. And they shall dwell in it, they and their children and their children’s children, forever, and My servant David be their prince forever.
(26) “And I shall make a covenant of peace with them – an everlasting covenant it is with them. And I shall place them and increase them, and shall place My set-apart place in their midst, forever.
(27) “And My Dwelling Place shall be over them. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.
(28) “And the gentiles shall know that I, יהוה, am setting Yisra’el apart, when My set-apart place is in their midst – forever.” ’ ”
