17 The Lord gave this message to me: 2 ‘Son of man, I want you to tell a story to Israel's people. It tells about them.
3 Say to them, “The Almighty Lord says this: There was a great eagle that had strong wings. Its feathers were long and beautiful, with many colours. The eagle came to Lebanon and he took hold of the top of a cedar tree. 4 He broke off the top branch of the tree. He took it to a country where there were many traders who buy and sell things. He planted the branch in a city there.
5 The eagle also took a seed from Israel's land. He planted it in a good field, like a willow tree near to plenty of water. 6 The seed made a plant that grew well. It became a vine that grew near to the ground. The vine's branches turned up towards the eagle. Its roots went down into the ground. The vine grew with many new branches and leaves.
7 There was also another great eagle. It had strong wings and many feathers. Now the vine turned its roots and its branches towards this eagle. It wanted to get more water in the ground where it was growing. 8 But the vine was already growing in a good field where there was plenty of water. It could grow very well in that place, with new branches. It could become a beautiful vine and make grapesthere.”
9 Then say to Israel's people, “The Almighty Lord says this: Do you think that the vine will continue to grow well? No, the first eagle will surely pull its roots out of the ground! He will destroy its grapes. All its leaves and branches will become dry and die. It would be easy to pull it out of the ground. It would not need a strong man or a large army to do that. 10 Yes the plant is in the ground, but will it continue to grow? When the hot wind from the east blows on it, it will become completely dry. It will die in the same good field where it had been growing.” ’
11 Then the Lord gave this message to me: 12 ‘Israel's people have turned against me. Say to them, “Surely you must understand the meaning of this story.” Then say to them, “Listen! The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem. He took away Israel's king and his officers. He took them with him as his prisoners to Babylon. 13 He made an agreement with one man from the king of Israel's family. He made that man promise to serve Babylon's king. Then he could rule as king in Jerusalem. [ a ]
The king of Babylon also took away the leaders of Jerusalem as his prisoners. 14 He wanted to make their kingdom weak. He did not want it to become strong enough to fight against him. He wanted them to obey his agreement with him. 15 But the man from the king's family did turn against the king of Babylon. He sent his officers with a message to Egypt. He asked them to send a large army with horses to save Jerusalem. But that will not help him to be safe! He did not obey his agreement with the king of Babylon, so he will not escape!
16 I promise you this, as surely as I live, says the Almighty Lord . That man that the king of Babylon made king in Jerusalem will die! He will die in Babylon because he did not obey the agreement he had made with the king of Babylon. He thought that his promise was not important. 17 The king of Egypt has a great army and many soldiers. But he still will not be able to help him to fight against Babylon's army. Babylon's soldiers will build heaps of earth against Jerusalem's walls. They will attack the walls and go into the city. They will kill many people in Jerusalem. 18 Judah's king did not obey his agreement with the king of Babylon. He had promised to serve Babylon's king but instead he turned against him. He did not do what he had promised to do, so he will not escape.
19 So this is what the Almighty Lord says: I promise you this, as surely as I live. I will certainly punish Judah's king for what he has done. He did not respect the promise that he made in my name. He did not obey the agreement that he made. 20 I will throw a net over him and I will catch him in my trap. I will take him to Babylon and I will judge him there. I will punish him because he was not faithful to me. 21 All the brave soldiers in his army will die in the battle. The soldiers who escape will run away in all directions. Then you will know that I, the Lord , have spoken this message. [ b ]
22 The Almighty Lord says this: I myself will take a new branch from the top of a tall cedar tree. I will break off one of its small fresh branches. Then I will plant it on the top of a high mountain. 23 I will plant it on a high mountain in Israel. There it will grow and make branches and fruit. It will become a beautiful cedar tree. Many kinds of birds will live under the tree's branches. They will be safe in its shadow. 24 Then all the trees of the forest will know that I am the Lord . I cause tall trees to fall down. I cause small trees to grow tall. I cause green trees to become dry. I cause dry trees to make fresh leaves.
I, the Lord , have said this and I will surely do it.” ’
17 Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2 “Son of man, [ a ] I have a story with a hidden meaning for you to tell the family of Israel. 3 Tell them that this is what the Lord God says:
“‘A large eagle with big wings came to Lebanon.
He had feathers covered with spots.
4 He broke the top out of that big cedar tree and brought it to Canaan.
He set the branch down in a city of merchants.
5 Then the eagle took some of the seeds from Canaan.
He planted them in good soil by a good river.
6 The seeds grew and became a grapevine.
It was a good vine.
The vine was not tall,
but it spread to cover a large area.
The vine grew stems,
and smaller vines grew very long.
7 Then another eagle with big wings saw the grapevine.
The eagle had many feathers.
The grapevine wanted this new eagle to care for it.
So it stretched its roots and branches toward the eagle.
Its branches stretched toward this eagle.
The branches grew away from the field where it was planted.
The grapevine wanted the new eagle to water it.
8 The grapevine was planted in a good field near plenty of water.
It could have grown branches and fruit.
It could have become a very good grapevine.’”
9 This is what the Lord God says:
“Do you think that plant will succeed?
No, the new eagle will pull the plant from the ground,
and the bird will break the plant’s roots.
It will eat up all the grapes.
Then the new leaves will wilt.
That plant will be very weak.
It will not take strong arms
or a powerful nation to pull that plant up by the roots.
10 Will the plant grow where it is planted?
No, the hot east wind will blow, and the plant will become dry and die.
It will die there where it was planted.”
11 The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 12 “Explain this story to the people of Israel who always turn against me. Tell them this: The first eagle is the king of Babylonia. He came to Jerusalem and took away the king and other leaders. He brought them to Babylonia. 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar made an agreement with a man from the king’s family. Nebuchadnezzar forced that man to make a promise. So this man promised to be loyal to Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made this man the new king of Judah. Then he took all the powerful men away from Judah. 14 So Judah became a weak kingdom that could not turn against King Nebuchadnezzar. The people were forced to keep the agreement Nebuchadnezzar made with the new king of Judah. 15 But this new king tried to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar anyway! He sent messengers to Egypt to ask for help. The new king asked for many horses and soldiers. Now, do you think the new king of Judah will succeed? Do you think the new king will have enough power to break the agreement and escape punishment?”
16 The Lord God says, “By my life, I swear that this new king will die in Babylonia! Nebuchadnezzar made this man the new king of Judah, but he broke his promise with Nebuchadnezzar. This new king ignored that agreement. 17 The king of Egypt will not be able to save the king of Judah. He might send many soldiers, but Egypt’s great power will not save Judah. Nebuchadnezzar’s army will build dirt roads and dirt walls to capture the city. Many people will die. 18 But the king of Judah will not escape, because he ignored his agreement. He broke his promise to Nebuchadnezzar.” 19 The Lord God makes this promise: “By my life, I swear that I will punish the king of Judah, because he ignored my warnings and broke our agreement. 20 I will set my trap, and he will be caught in it. Then I will bring him to Babylon, and I will punish him there. I will punish him because he turned against me, 21 and I will destroy his army. I will destroy his best soldiers and scatter them to the wind. Then you will know that I am the Lord and that I told you these things.”
22 This is what the Lord God says:
“I will take a branch from a tall cedar tree.
I will take a small branch from the top of the tree,
and I myself will plant it on a very high mountain.
23 I myself will plant it on a high mountain in Israel.
That branch will grow into a tree.
It will grow branches and make fruit
and become a beautiful cedar tree.
Many birds will sit on its branches
and live in the shadows under its branches.
24 “Then the other trees will know that
I, the Lord , make tall trees fall to the ground,
and I make small trees grow tall.
I make green trees become dry,
and I make dry trees become green.
I am the Lord .
If I say that I will do something, then I will do it!”
17 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God ; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:
4 He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.
5 He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.
6 And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.
7 There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.
8 It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.
9 Say thou, Thus saith the Lord God ; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.
10 Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.
11 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
12 Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon;
13 And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:
14 That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.
15 But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?
16 As I live, saith the Lord God , surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.
17 Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:
18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.
19 Therefore thus saith the Lord God ; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.
20 And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.
21 And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the Lord have spoken it.
22 Thus saith the Lord God ; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
23 In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.
24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the Lord have spoken and have done it.
17 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, ask a riddle and present a ( A ) parable to the house of Israel, 3 [ a ] saying, ‘This is what the Lord [ b ] God says: “A great [ c ] ( B ) eagle with ( C ) great wings, long pinions, and a full plumage of many colors came to [ d ] ( D ) Lebanon and took away the top of the [ e ] cedar. 4 He broke off the [ f ] topmost of its young twigs and brought it to a land of merchants; he set it in a [ g ] city of traders. 5 He also took [ h ] from the seed of the land and planted [ i ] it in [ j ] ( E ) fertile soil, a [ k ] meadow beside abundant waters; he set it like a ( F ) willow. 6 Then 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 [ l ] another 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 ( G ) planted, so that he might water it. 8 It was planted in good [ m ] soil beside abundant waters, so that it would produce branches and bear fruit, and become a splendid vine.”’ 9 Say, ‘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 [ n ] strength nor by many people can it be raised from its roots again . 10 Behold, though it is planted, will it thrive? Will it not ( H ) completely wither as soon as the east wind strikes it—wither on the beds where it grew?”’”
11 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 12 “Say now to the ( I ) rebellious house, ‘Do you not ( J ) know what these things mean ?’ Say, ‘Behold, the ( K ) king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and leaders, and brought them to him in Babylon. 13 Then he took one of the royal [ o ] ( L ) family and made a covenant with him, [ p ] putting him under ( M ) oath. He also took away the ( N ) mighty of the land, 14 so that the kingdom would ( O ) be humbled, not exalting itself, but keeping his covenant so that it might continue. 15 But [ q ] he ( P ) revolted against [ r ] him by sending his messengers to Egypt so that they might give him horses and many [ s ] troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does these things ( Q ) escape? Can he indeed break the covenant and escape? 16 As I live,’ declares the Lord God , ‘In the [ t ] country of the king who [ u ] put him on the throne, whose oath he ( R ) despised and whose covenant he broke, [ v ] ( S ) in Babylon he shall certainly die. 17 ( T ) Pharaoh with his mighty army and great contingent will not [ w ] help him in the war, when they pile up assault ramps and build siege walls to eliminate many lives. 18 Now he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he [ x ] ( U ) pledged his allegiance, yet did all these things; he shall not escape.’” 19 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: “As I live, My oath which he despised and My covenant which he broke, I will certainly [ y ] inflict on his head. 20 And I will spread My ( V ) net over him, and he will be ( W ) caught in My net. Then I will bring him to Babylon and ( X ) enter into judgment with him there regarding the unfaithful act which he has committed against Me. 21 All the [ z ] ( Y ) choice 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.”
22 This is what the Lord God says: “I will also take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and [ aa ] set it out; I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it on a ( Z ) high and lofty mountain. 23 On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, so that it may bring forth branches and bear fruit, and become a stately ( AA ) cedar. And [ ab ] birds of every [ ac ] kind will [ ad ] nest under it; they will [ ae ] nest in the shade of its branches. 24 All the ( AB ) trees 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 ( AC ) flourish. I am the Lord ; I have spoken, and I will perform it .”
17 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell it to the Israelites as a parable. ( A ) 3 Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: A great eagle ( B ) with powerful wings, long feathers and full plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon. ( C ) Taking hold of the top of a cedar, 4 he broke off ( D ) its topmost shoot and carried it away to a land of merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders.
5 “‘He took one of the seedlings of the land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant water, ( E ) 6 and it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches ( F ) turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy boughs. ( G )
7 “‘But there was another great eagle with powerful wings and full plumage. The vine now sent out its roots toward him from the plot where it was planted and stretched out its branches to him for water. ( H ) 8 It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would produce branches, ( I ) bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’
9 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will it thrive? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it withers? All its new growth will wither. It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by the roots. ( J ) 10 It has been planted, ( K ) but will it thrive? Will it not wither completely when the east wind strikes it—wither away in the plot where it grew? ( L ) ’”
11 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Say to this rebellious people, ‘Do you not know what these things mean? ( M ) ’ Say to them: ‘The king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and carried off her king and her nobles, ( N ) bringing them back with him to Babylon. ( O ) 13 Then he took a member of the royal family and made a treaty ( P ) with him, putting him under oath. ( Q ) He also carried away the leading men ( R ) of the land, 14 so that the kingdom would be brought low, ( S ) unable to rise again, surviving only by keeping his treaty. 15 But the king rebelled ( T ) against him by sending his envoys to Egypt ( U ) to get horses and a large army. ( V ) Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the treaty and yet escape? ( W )
16 “‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord , he shall die ( X ) in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose treaty he broke. ( Y ) 17 Pharaoh ( Z ) with his mighty army and great horde will be of no help to him in war, when ramps ( AA ) are built and siege works erected to destroy many lives. ( AB ) 18 He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he had given his hand in pledge ( AC ) and yet did all these things, he shall not escape.
19 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, I will repay him for despising my oath and breaking my covenant. ( AD ) 20 I will spread my net ( AE ) for him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment ( AF ) on him there because he was unfaithful ( AG ) to me. 21 All his choice troops will fall by the sword, ( AH ) and the survivors ( AI ) will be scattered to the winds. ( AJ ) Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken. ( AK )
22 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot ( AL ) from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. ( AM ) 23 On the mountain heights ( AN ) of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit ( AO ) and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. ( AP ) 24 All the trees of the forest ( AQ ) will know that I the Lord bring down ( AR ) the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. ( AS )
“‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it. ( AT ) ’”
