Ezekiel 17

Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine

1Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, ask a riddle and present a 1parable to the house of Israel, 32saying, ‘This is what the Lord 3God says: “A great 45eagle with 6great wings, long pinions, and a full plumage of many colors came to 78Lebanon and took away the top of the 9cedar. 4He broke off the 10topmost of its young twigs and brought it to a land of merchants; he set it in a 11city of traders. 5He also took 12from the seed of the land and planted 13it in 1415fertile soil, a 16meadow beside abundant waters; he set it like a 17willow. 6Then it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine with its branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and produced shoots and sent out branches.

7“But there was 18another great eagle with great wings and much plumage; and behold, this vine turned its roots toward him and sent out its branches toward him from the beds where it was 19planted, so that he might water it. 8It was planted in good 20soil beside abundant waters, so that it would produce branches and bear fruit, and become a splendid vine.”’ 9Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, so that it withers--so that all its sprouting shoots wither? And neither by great 21strength nor by many people can it be raised from its roots again. 10Behold, though it is planted, will it thrive? Will it not 22completely wither as soon as the east wind strikes it--wither on the beds where it grew?”’”

Zedekiah’s Rebellion

11Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 12“Say now to the 23rebellious house, ‘Do you not 24know what these things mean?’ Say, ‘Behold, the 25king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and leaders, and brought them to him in Babylon. 13Then he took one of the royal 2627family and made a covenant with him, 28putting him under 29oath. He also took away the 30mighty of the land, 14so that the kingdom would 31be humbled, not exalting itself, but keeping his covenant so that it might continue. 15But 32he 33revolted against 34him by sending his messengers to Egypt so that they might give him horses and many 35troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does these things 36escape? Can he indeed break the covenant and escape? 16As I live,’ declares the Lord God, ‘In the 37country of the king who 38put him on the throne, whose oath he 39despised and whose covenant he broke, 4041in Babylon he shall certainly die. 1742Pharaoh with his mighty army and great contingent will not 43help him in the war, when they pile up assault ramps and build siege walls to eliminate many lives. 18Now he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he 4445pledged his allegiance, yet did all these things; he shall not escape.’” 19Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: “As I live, My oath which he despised and My covenant which he broke, I will certainly 46inflict on his head. 20And I will spread My 47net over him, and he will be 48caught in My net. Then I will bring him to Babylon and 49enter into judgment with him there regarding the unfaithful act which he has committed against Me. 21All the 5051choice men in all his troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to every wind; and you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken.”

22This is what the Lord God says: “I will also take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and 52set it out; I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it on a 53high and lofty mountain. 23On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, so that it may bring forth branches and bear fruit, and become a stately 54cedar. And 55birds of every 56kind will 57nest under it; they will 58nest in the shade of its branches. 24All the 59trees of the field will know that I am the Lord; I bring down the high tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree 60flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will perform it.”