Parable of the Eagles

¹The word of the Lord came to me:

²‘Son of man, pose a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel.[#17:2 Ezk 20:49; 24:3]

³You are to say, “This is what the Lord God says: A huge eagle with powerful wings, long feathers, and full plumage of many colours came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.[#17:3 Jr 48:40; #17:3 Ezk 17:12]

⁴He plucked off its topmost shoot, brought it to the land of merchants, and set it in a city of traders.

⁵Then he took some of the land’s seed and put it in a fertile field; he set it like a willow, a plant by abundant water.[#17:5 Dt 8:7–9; #17:5 Is 44:4; #17:5 Hb obscure]

⁶It sprouted and became a spreading vine, low in height with its branches turned towards him, yet its roots stayed under it. So it became a vine, produced branches, and sent out shoots.[#17:6 Ezk 17:14]

⁷‘ “But there was another huge eagle with powerful wings and thick plumage. And this vine bent its roots towards him! It stretched out its branches to him from the plot where it was planted, so that he might water it.[#17:7 Ezk 31:4]

⁸It had been planted in a good field by abundant water in order to produce branches, bear fruit, and become a splendid vine.”

⁹‘You are to say, “This is what the Lord God says: Will it flourish? Will he not tear out its roots and strip off its fruit so that it shrivels? All its fresh leaves will wither! Great strength and many people will not be needed to pull it from its roots.[#17:9 2Kg 25:7]

¹⁰Even though it is planted, will it flourish? Won’t it wither completely when the east wind strikes it? It will wither on the plot where it sprouted.” ’[#17:10 Gn 41:6; 2Kg 19:26; Ezk 19:12; Hs 13:15; Jnh 4:8]

¹¹The word of the Lord came to me:

¹²‘Now say to that rebellious house, “Don’t you know what these things mean? ” Tell them, “The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon.[#17:12 Ezk 2:3–5; 12:9–11; #17:12 2Kg 24:11–15]

¹³He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he took away the leading men of the land,[#17:13 2Kg 24:17; #17:13 2Ch 36:13]

¹⁴so that the kingdom would be humble and not exalt itself but would keep his covenant in order to endure.[#17:14 Ezk 29:14]

¹⁵However, this king revolted against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt so that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and still escape?[#17:15 2Kg 24:20; 2Ch 36:13; #17:15 Dt 17:16]

¹⁶‘ “As I live #– #this is the declaration of the Lord God #– #he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke.[#17:16 Ezk 12:13]

¹⁷Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast company will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives.[#17:17 Jr 37:5,7]

¹⁸He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. He did all these things even though he gave his hand in pledge. He will not escape![#17:18 1Ch 29:24]

¹⁹‘ “Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: As I live, I will bring down on his head my oath that he despised and my covenant that he broke.

²⁰I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgement on him there for the treachery he committed against me.[#17:20 Ezk 12:13; #17:20 2Kg 25:5–6; Jr 39:5; #17:20 Ezk 20:35–36]

²¹All the fugitives among his troops will fall by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every direction of the wind. Then you will know that I, the Lord , have spoken.[#17:21 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg read choice men; #17:21 Ezk 5:10]

²²‘ “This is what the Lord God says:

I will take a sprig

from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it.

I will pluck a tender sprig

from its topmost shoots,

and I will plant it

on a high towering mountain.

²³I will plant it on Israel’s high mountain[#17:23 Ezk 20:40]

so that it may bear branches, produce fruit,

and become a majestic cedar.

Birds of every kind will nest under it,

taking shelter in the shade of its branches.

²⁴Then all the trees of the field will know

that I am the Lord .

I bring down the tall tree,

and make the low tree tall.

I cause the green tree to wither

and make the withered tree thrive.

I, the Lord , have spoken

and I will do it.” ’