Ezekiel Chapter 17
Two Eagles and a Vine
1 A message from Yahveh came to me:
2 “Son of man, tell Israel this parable. 3 ‘A large eagle with big wings, long pinions, and full plumage of many colors flew to Lebanon and plucked off 4 the top of a cedar tree. He took it to a land filled with merchants and planted it in a city full of tradesmen. 5 He also took a seedling from the land and planted it in fertile soil, like a willow beside a stream. 6 It took root and became a low, spreading vine with branches turned upward toward the eagle and roots growing down into the soil. It put out shoots and grew branches.
Ezek 17:1-6
7 ‘But then another large eagle came along with big wings and full plumage. Now the vine bent its roots and branches toward him so he would water it. 8 It was already planted in good soil beside plenty of water so it could grow branches, bear fruit, and become a splendid vine.’ 9 Say, ‘The Lord Yahveh asks, “Will it thrive? I’ll pull it up by the roots, cut off its fruit, and let its leaves wither. I won’t need great strength or a big army to uproot it. 10 If it’s transplanted, will it thrive? It will completely wither when the east wind blows on it in the soil where it had grown so well before.”’”
Ezek 17:7-10
11 A message from Yahveh came to me:
12 “Say to this rebellious nation, ‘Do you know what that parable means? The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took its king and officials to Babylon. 13 He made a covenant with one royal family member and put him under oath. He took away the leaders in the land 14 so the kingdom would stay subject to him and not try to mount an insurrection. That way it could continue. 15 But the royal seed rebelled and sent ambassadors to Egypt to get horses and troops. Will that work? Will anybody avoid the consequences of doing something like that? Can he break the covenant and get away with it? 16 As I live, he’ll die in Babylon—in the land of the king that put him on the throne, whose oath he disregarded, whose covenant he broke. 17 Pharaoh’s large, powerful army won’t help the royal seed in war, when the Babylonians build mounds and siege walls to take countless lives. 18 The royal seed disregarded the oath by breaking the covenant; he pledged allegiance but rebelled. He won’t get away with it.’”
19 So the Lord Yahveh says: “As I live, I’ll bring down on his head consequences of the solemn oath he disregarded, and the covenant sworn in my name that he broke. 20 I’ll cast my net over him, take him to Babylon, and condemn him there for his unfaithfulness to me. 21 His elite troops will fall by the sword; survivors will scatter in every direction. You’ll know I Yahveh have said it.” Ezek 17:11-21
22-23 “I’ll pluck a young tender twig from the highest branches of a cedar tree and plant it on Israel’s high mountain. It will put out branches, produce seed, and become a stately cedar birds will nest in. 24 All the trees will know I’m Yahveh. I’ll cut down the tall tree, grow up the short one, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I’m Yahveh; I’ll do what I say.”
Ezek 17:22-24