Ezekiel 17

Berean Standard Bible

The Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine

1Now the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 to meH413, sayingH559, 2“SonH1121 of manH120, poseH2330 a riddleH2420; speak a parableH4911 H4912 toH413 the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 3and tell them thatH559 this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559:

‘A greatH1419 eagleH5404 with greatH1419 wingsH3671 and longH750 pinionsH83,1fullH4392 of feathersH5133 of many colorsH7553,cameH935 toH413 LebanonH3844and took awayH3947 the topH6788 of the cedarH730.4 He plucked offH6998 its topmostH7218 shootH3242,carried itH935 toH413 the landH776 of merchantsH3667,and plantedH7760 it in a cityH5892 of tradersH7402.5He tookH3947 some of the seedH2233 of the landH776and plantedH5414 it in fertileH2233 soilH7704;2he placedH3947 it byH5921 abundantH7227 watersH4325and set it outH7760 like a willowH6851.6It sproutedH6779 and becameH1961 a spreadingH5628 vineH1612,lowH8217 in heightH6967, with branchesH1808 turnedH6437 toward himH413;yet its rootsH8328 remainedH1961 where it stoodH8478.So it becameH1961 a vineH1612 and yieldedH6213 branchesH905and sent outH7971 shootsH6288.

7But there wasH1961 anotherH259 greatH1419 eagleH5404with greatH1419 wingsH3671 and manyH7227 feathersH5133.And beholdH2009, thisH2063 vineH1612 bentH3719 its rootsH8328 toward himH5921.It stretched outH7971 its branchesH1808 to him from its plantingH4302 bedH6170,so that he might water itH8248 .8ItH1931 had been plantedH8362 inH413 goodH2896 soilH7704byH413 abundantH7227 watersH4325in order to yieldH6213 branchesH6057 and bearH5375 fruitH6529and becomeH1961 a splendidH155 vineH1612.’

9So you are to tell themH559 that this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559:

‘Will it flourishH6743?Will it notH3808 be uprootedH5423 and strippedH7082 of its fruitH6529so that it shrivelsH3001?AllH3605 its foliageH2965 H6780 will witherH3001!It will not takeH3808 a strongH1419 armH2220 or manyH7227 peopleH5971to pullH5375 it upH853 by its rootsH8328.10 Even if it is transplantedH8362,will it flourishH6743?Will it notH3808 completely witherH3001 when the eastH6921 windH7307 strikesH5060?It will witherH3001 onH5921 the bedH6170 where it sproutedH6780.’”

11Then the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 to meH413, sayingH559, 12“NowH4994 say toH559 this rebelliousH4805 houseH1004: ‘Do you notH3808 knowH3045 whatH4100 these thingsH428 mean?’

TellH559 them, ‘BeholdH2009, the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 cameH935 to JerusalemH3389, carried offH3947 its kingH4428 and officialsH8269, and brought them backH935 with himH413 to BabylonH894. 13He tookH3947 a member of the royalH4410 familyH2233 3 and madeH3772 a covenantH1285 with himH854, puttingH935 himH853 under oathH423 . Then he carried awayH3947 the leading menH352 of the landH776, 14so that the kingdomH4467 would beH1961 brought lowH8217, unableH1115 to lift itself upH5375, survivingH5975 only by keepingH8104 his covenantH1285.

15But this king rebelledH4775 against Babylon by sendingH7971 his envoysH4397 to EgyptH4714 to ask forH5414 horsesH5483 and a largeH7227 armyH5971. Will he flourishH6743? Will the one who doesH6213 suchH428 things escapeH4422? Can he breakH6565 a covenantH1285 and yet escapeH4422?’

16‘As surely asH518 H3808 IH589 liveH2416,’ declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069, ‘he will dieH4191 inH8432 BabylonH894, in the landH4725 of the kingH4428 who enthroned himH4427 , whoseH834 oathH423 he despisedH959 and whoseH834 covenantH1285 H854 he brokeH6565 . 17PharaohH6547 with his mightyH1419 armyH2428 and vastH7227 hordeH6951 will notH3808 helpH6213 himH853 in battleH4421, when rampsH5550 are builtH8210 and siege wallsH1785 constructedH1129 to destroyH3772 manyH7227 livesH5315. 18He despisedH959 the oathH423 by breakingH6565 the covenantH1285. Seeing thatH2009 he gaveH5414 his hand in pledgeH3027 yet didH6213 allH3605 theseH428 things, he will notH3808 escapeH4422!’

19ThereforeH3651 this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559: ‘AsH589 surely asH518 H3808 I liveH2416, I will bring downH5414 upon his headH7218 My oathH423 thatH834 he despisedH959 and My covenantH1285 thatH834 he brokeH6331. 20I will spreadH6566 My netH7568 over himH5921 and catch himH8610 in My snareH4686. I will bring himH935 to BabylonH894 and execute judgmentH8199 upon himH854 thereH8033 for the treasonH4603 he committedH4604 against Me. 21 AllH3605 his choiceH4015 troopsH102 4 will fallH5307 by the swordH2719, and those who surviveH7604 will be scatteredH6566 to everyH3605 windH7307. Then you will knowH3045 thatH3588 IH589, the LORDH3068, have spokenH1696.’

22This is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559:

‘IH589 will take a shootH3947 from the loftyH7311 topH6788 of the cedarH730,and I will set it outH5414.I will pluckH6998 a tender sprigH7390 from its topmostH7218 shootsH3127,and IH589 will plant itH8362 onH5921 a highH1364 and loftyH8524 mountainH2022.23I will plant itH8362 on the mountainH2022 heightsH4791 of IsraelH3478so that it will bearH5375 branchesH6057;it will yieldH6213 fruitH6529and becomeH1961 a majesticH117 cedarH730.BirdsH6833 of everyH3605 kindH3671 will nestH7931 under itH8478,taking shelterH7931 in the shadeH6738 of its branchesH1808.

24Then allH3605 the treesH6086 of the fieldH7704 will knowH3045thatH3588 IH589 am the LORDH3068.I bringH8213 the tallH1364 tree downH6086and make the lowH8217 treeH6086 tallH1361.I dry upH3001 the greenH3892 treeH6086and make the witheredH3002 treeH6086 flourishH6524.IH589, the LORDH3068, have spokenH1696,and I have doneH6213 it.’”

1. Ezekiel 17:3 Pinions are the outer parts of a bird’s wings, including the flight feathers. ↩
2. Ezekiel 17:5 Hebrew in a field of seed ↩
3. Ezekiel 17:13 Hebrew the royal seed ↩
4. Ezekiel 17:21 Many Hebrew manuscripts; MT All his fleeing troops ↩