Ezekiel 16:59-17:8

English Standard Version

The Lord's Everlasting Covenant

⁵⁹ “For thus says the Lord God: I will deal with you as you have done, you ^(A)who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant, ⁶⁰ yet ^(B)I will remember my covenant with you ^(C)in the days of your youth, ^(D)and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant. ^61 (E)Then you will remember your ways ^(F)and be ashamed when you take ^(G)your sisters, both your elder and your younger, and I give them to you ^(H)as daughters, but not on account of^[a] the covenant with you. ⁶² I will establish my covenant with you, ^(I)and you shall know that I am the Lord, ⁶³ that you may remember and be confounded, and ^(J)never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God.”

Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine

17 The word of the Lord came to me: ^2 (K)“Son of man, ^(L)propound a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel; ³ say, Thus says the Lord God: ^(M)A great eagle ^(N)with great wings and long pinions, ^(O)rich in plumage of many colors, came ^(P)to Lebanon ^(Q)and took the top of the cedar. ⁴ He broke off the topmost of its young twigs and carried it to a land of trade and set it in a city of merchants. ⁵ Then he took of the seed of the land ^(R)and planted it in fertile soil.^[b] He placed it beside abundant waters. ^(S)He set it like a willow twig, ⁶ and it sprouted and became a ^(T)low ^(U)spreading vine, and its branches turned toward him, and its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out boughs.

^7 (V)“And there was another great eagle with great wings and much plumage, ^(W)and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and shot forth its branches toward him from ^(X)the bed where it was planted, that he might water it. ^8 (Y)It had been planted on good soil by abundant waters, that it might produce branches and bear fruit and become a noble vine.