Bones

Bones in the umbrella material function as a figure for the body of Israel: the dryness of exile, the keeping power of Yahweh over the body of his servant, and the prophetic word that knits flesh back onto a hopeless people. Two scenes anchor the page — Ezekiel's vision of the dry bones in the valley, and the psalmist's confession that not one of the righteous one's bones will be broken.

The valley of dry bones

The vision opens with the prophet led by the Spirit into a valley filled with the remnants of an army long dead. "The hand of Yahweh was on me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of Yahweh, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones" (Eze 37:1). The dryness is emphasized: "And he caused me to pass by them round about: and, look, there were very many in the open valley; and, look, they were very dry" (Eze 37:2).

A question is put to the prophet that he refuses to answer on his own: "And he said to me, Son of Man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Sovereign Yahweh, you know" (Eze 37:3). The response shifts to command — Ezekiel is to prophesy directly to the bones: "Again he said to me, Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O you⁺ dry bones, hear the word of Yahweh" (Eze 37:4).

Breath, sinews, flesh

The promise comes in stages. The first is the gift of breath: "Thus says the Sovereign Yahweh to these bones: Look, I will cause breath to enter into you⁺, and you⁺ will live" (Eze 37:5). The second is the rebuilding of the body around the bones: "And I will lay sinews on you⁺, and will bring up flesh on you⁺, and cover you⁺ with skin, and put breath in you⁺, and you⁺ will live; and you⁺ will know that I am Yahweh" (Eze 37:6).

The prophesying produces an immediate sound and motion: "So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and, look, an earthquake; and the bones came together, bone to its bone" (Eze 37:7). Yet at this stage the bodies are still inert: "And I looked, and saw that there were sinews on them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them" (Eze 37:8).

Breath from the four winds

A second prophecy is required, this time to the wind itself: "Then he said to me, Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, Son of Man, and say to the wind, Thus says the Sovereign Yahweh: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live" (Eze 37:9). The result is military and total: "So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceedingly great army" (Eze 37:10).

The interpretation: the whole house of Israel

The vision is then read for the prophet. The bones are not anonymous dead; they are a people: "Then he said to me, Son of Man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: look, they say, Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off" (Eze 37:11). The promise is grave-opening and land-restoration: "Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Sovereign Yahweh: Look, I will open your⁺ graves, and cause you⁺ to come up out of your⁺ graves, O my people; and I will bring you⁺ into the land of Israel" (Eze 37:12). The repeated knowledge-formula closes the vision: "And you⁺ will know that I am Yahweh, when I have opened your⁺ graves, and caused you⁺ to come up out of your⁺ graves, O my people" (Eze 37:13). The Spirit-gift seals it: "And I will put my Spirit in you⁺, and you⁺ will live, and I will place you⁺ in your⁺ own land: and you⁺ will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken it and performed it, says Yahweh" (Eze 37:14).

Bones kept whole

Across the umbrella stands a much smaller figure: the divine keeping of every bone of the righteous one. The psalmist says: "He keeps all his bones: Not one of them is broken" (Ps 34:20). The line names a precise providence — preservation extends down to the level of the skeleton itself.