Ezekiel 17

Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine

1Now the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to me sayingH559, 2“SonH1121 of manH120, propoundH2330 a riddleH2420 and speakH4911 a 1parableH4912 to the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, 32sayingH559, ‘ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH136 3GodH3068, “A greatH1419 4eagleH5404 with 5greatH1419 wingsH3671, longH750 pinionsH83 and a fullH4392 plumageH5133 of manyH7553 colorsH7553 cameH935 to 6LebanonH3844 and tookH3947 away the topH6788 of the cedarH730. 4He pluckedH6998 offH6998 the topmostH7218 of its youngH3242 twigsH3242 and broughtH935 it to a landH776 of merchantsH3667; he setH7760 it in a cityH5892 of tradersH7402. 5He also tookH3947 someH4480 of the seedH2233 of the landH776 and plantedH5414 it in 78fertileH2233 soilH7704. He 9placedH3947 it besideH5921 abundantH7227 watersH4325; he setH7760 it like a 10willowH6851. 6Then it sproutedH6779 and becameH1961 a lowH8217, spreadingH5628 vineH1612 with its branchesH1808 turnedH6437 towardH413 him, but its rootsH8328 remainedH1961 underH8478 it. So it becameH1961 a vineH1612 and yieldedH6213 shootsH909 and sentH7971 out branchesH6288.

7“But there was 11anotherH259 greatH1419 eagleH5404 with greatH1419 wingsH3671 and muchH7227 plumageH5133; and beholdH2009, thisH2088 vineH1612 bentH3719 its rootsH8328 towardH5921 him and sentH7971 out its branchesH1808 toward him from the bedsH6170 whereH4302 it was 12plantedH4302, that he might waterH8248 it. 8It was plantedH8362 in goodH2896 13soilH7704 besideH413 abundantH7227 watersH4325, that it might yieldH6213 branchesH6057 and bearH5375 fruitH6529 and becomeH1961 a splendidH155 vineH1612.”’ 9SayH559, ‘ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH136 GodH3068, “Will it thriveH6743? Will he not pullH5423 up its rootsH8328 and cutH7082 offH7082 its fruitH6529, so that it withersH3001--so that allH3605 its sproutingH6780 leavesH2964 witherH3001? And neitherH3808 by greatH1419 14strengthH2220 norH3808 by manyH7227 peopleH5971 can it be raisedH5375 from its rootsH8328 again. 10BeholdH2009, though it is plantedH8362, will it thriveH6743? Will it not 15completelyH3001 witherH3001 as soon as the eastH6921 windH7307 strikesH5060 it--witherH3001 on the bedsH6170 whereH6780 it grewH6780?”’”

Zedekiah’s Rebellion

11Moreover, the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to me, sayingH559, 12“SayH559 nowH4994 to the 16rebelliousH4805 houseH1004, ‘Do you not 17knowH3045 whatH4100 theseH428 thingsH428 mean?’ SayH559, ‘BeholdH2009, the 18kingH4428 of BabylonH894 cameH935 to JerusalemH3389, tookH3947 its kingH4428 and princesH8269 and broughtH935 them to him in BabylonH894. 13He tookH3947 one of the royalH4410 1920familyH2233 and madeH3772 a covenantH1285 with him, 21puttingH935 him under 22oathH423. He also tookH3947 away the 23mightyH352 of the landH776, 14that the kingdomH4467 might 24be 25in subjectionH8217, not exaltingH5375 itself, but keepingH8104 his covenantH1285 that it might continueH5975. 15But he 26rebelledH4775 against him by sendingH7971 his envoysH4397 to EgyptH4714 that they might giveH5414 him horsesH5483 and manyH7227 27troopsH5971. Will he succeedH6743? Will he who doesH6213 suchH428 thingsH428 28escapeH4422? Can he indeed breakH6565 the covenantH1285 and escapeH4422? 16As I liveH2416,’ declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, ‘SurelyH518H3808 in the 29countryH4725 of the kingH4428 who 30putH4427 him on the throneH4427, whoseH834 oathH423 he 31despisedH959 and whoseH834 covenantH1285 he brokeH6565, 3233in BabylonH894 he shall dieH4191. 1734PharaohH6547 with his mightyH1419 armyH2428 and greatH1419 companyH6951 will not 35helpH6213 him in the warH4421, when they castH8210 up rampsH5550 and buildH1129 siegeH1785 wallsH1785 to cutH3772 offH3772 manyH7227 livesH5315. 18Now he despisedH959 the oathH423 by breakingH6565 the covenantH1285, and beholdH2009, he 3637pledgedH5414 his allegianceH3027, yet didH6213 allH3605 theseH428 thingsH428; he shall not escapeH4422.’” 19ThereforeH3651, thusH3541 saysH559 the LordH136 GodH3068, “As I liveH2416, surelyH518H3808 My oathH423 whichH834 he despisedH959 and My covenantH1285 whichH834 he brokeH6565, I will 38inflictH5414 on his headH7218. 20I will spreadH6566 My 39netH7568 overH5921 him, and he will be 40caughtH8610 in My snareH4686. Then I will bringH935 him to BabylonH894 and 41enterH8199 into judgmentH8199 with him thereH8033 regarding the unfaithfulH4604 actH4604 whichH834 he has committedH4603 against Me. 21AllH3605 the 4243choiceH4005 menH4005 in allH3605 his troopsH102 will fallH5307 by the swordH2719, and the survivorsH7604 will be scatteredH6566 to everyH3605 windH7307; and you will knowH3045 that I, the LordH3068, have spokenH1696.”

22ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH136 GodH3068, “I will also takeH3947 a sprig from the loftyH7311 topH6788 of the cedarH730 and setH5414 it out; I will pluckH6998 from the topmostH7218 of its youngH3127 twigsH3127 a tenderH7390 oneH7390 and I will plantH8362 it on a 44highH1364 and loftyH8519 mountainH2022. 23On the highH4791 mountainH2022 of IsraelH3478 I will plantH8362 it, that it may bringH5375 forthH5375 boughsH6057 and bearH6213 fruitH6529 and becomeH1961 a statelyH117 45cedarH730. And birdsH6833 of everyH3605 46kindH3671 will 47nestH7931 underH8478 it; they will 48nestH7931 in the shadeH6738 of its branchesH1808. 24AllH3605 the 49treesH6086 of the fieldH7704 will knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068; I bringH8213 downH8213 the highH1364 treeH6086, exaltH1361 the lowH8217 treeH6086, dryH3002 up the greenH3892 treeH6086 and make the dryH3001 treeH6086 50flourishH6524. I am the LordH3068; I have spokenH1696, and I will performH6213 it.”