The Babylonian Exile

I will put my Spirit inside you and cause you to live by my laws, respect my rulings and obey them.

You will live in the land I gave to your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

I will save you from all your uncleanliness. I will summon the grain and increase it, and not send famine against you.

I will multiply the yield of fruit from the trees and increase production in the fields, so that you never again suffer the reproach of famine among the nations.

Then you will remember your evil ways and your actions that were not good; as you look at yourselves, you will loathe yourselves for your guilt and disgusting practices.

Understand,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'that I am not doing this for your sake. Instead, be ashamed and dismayed for your ways, house of Isra'el.'

"Adonai ELOHIM says, 'When the day comes for me to cleanse you from all your guilt, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the ruins to be rebuilt.

The land that was desolate will be tilled, whereas formerly it lay desolate for all passing by to see.

Then they will say, "The land that used to be desolate has become like Gan-'Eden, and the cities formerly ruined, abandoned and wasted have been fortified and are inhabited!"

Then the nations around you that remain will know that I, ADONAI, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted what was abandoned. I, ADONAI, have spoken; and I will do it.'

"Adonai ELOHIM says, 'In addition, I will let the house of Isra'el pray to me to do this for them: to increase their numbers like sheep -

like flocks of sheep for sacrifices, like the flocks of sheep in Yerushalayim at its designated times, in this degree will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.'"

With the hand of ADONAI upon me, ADONAI carried me out by his Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones.

He had me pass by all around them - there were so many bones lying in the valley, and they were so dry!

He asked me, "Human being, can these bones live?" I answered, "Adonai ELOHIM! Only you know that!"

Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones! Say to them, 'Dry bones! Hear what ADONAI has to say!

To these bones Adonai ELOHIM says, "I will make breath enter you, and you will live.

I will attach ligaments to you, make flesh grow on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you. You will live, and you will know that I am ADONAI."'"

So I prophesied as ordered; and while I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound; it was the bones coming together, each bone in its proper place.

As I watched, ligaments grew on them, flesh appeared and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.

Next he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath! Prophesy, human being! Say to the breath that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Come from the four winds, breath; and breathe on these slain, so that they can live.'"

So I prophesied as ordered, and the breath came into them, and they were alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army!

Then he said to me, "Human being! These bones are the whole house of Isra'el; and they are saying, 'Our bones have dried up, our hope is gone, and we are completely cut off.'

Therefore prophesy; say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'My people! I will open your graves and make you get up out of your graves, and I will bring you into the land of Isra'el.

Then you will know that I am ADONAI - when I have opened your graves and made you get up out of your graves, my people!