BOYS OF THE BIBLE. 227

the office of priest to this community of exiled Jews, who
were resolved to maintain the worship of the God of their
fathers though they, were in a foreign land, and while thus
engaged in these sacred tasks, the heavens were opened, and
Ezekiel “saw visions of God.”

And what visions they were—mystic, weird and wonder-
ful! Revolving wheels—wheels within wheels—flying angels,
and all sorts of strange, mysterious things! If Jeremiah was
the prophet of tears, we may well call Ezekiel the prophet
of mystery.

Of all those remarkable visions perhaps the most
remarkable, and yet the one easiest to understand, is that
vision of the valley of dry bones. The visions of the
besieged city, of the boiling pot, and of the eagles, are all
very wonderful, but they are not to compare with this mysteri-
ous scene where the whole region lies before the prophet
like a vast charnel-house.

“The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me
out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst
of the valley which was full of bones. And caused me to
pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very
many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And
he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I
answered, O Lord God, thou knowest.

“Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones,
and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the
Lord.

“Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones: Behold, I
will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. And
I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you,
and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye
shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.