Ezekiel 17:1-10
New American Standard Bible
Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine
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?”’”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ezekiel 17:3 Lit and you shall say
- Ezekiel 17:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
- Ezekiel 17:3 I.e., Nebuchadnezzar
- Ezekiel 17:3 I.e., Jerusalem
- Ezekiel 17:3 I.e., the line of David
- Ezekiel 17:4 I.e., King Jehoiachin and the leaders
- Ezekiel 17:4 I.e., Babylon
- Ezekiel 17:5 I.e., Zedekiah
- Ezekiel 17:5 I.e., Zedekiah
- Ezekiel 17:5 Lit a field of seed
- Ezekiel 17:5 Or plant
- Ezekiel 17:7 As in several ancient versions; MT one
- Ezekiel 17:8 Lit field
- Ezekiel 17:9 Lit arm
Ezekiel 17:1-10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Two Eagles and the Vine
17 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 O mortal, propound a riddle and speak an allegory to the house of Israel.(A) 3 Say: Thus says the Lord God:
A great eagle with great wings and long pinions,
rich in plumage of many colors,
came to the Lebanon.
He took the top of the cedar,(B)
4 broke off its topmost shoot;
he carried it to a land of trade,
set it in a city of merchants.
5 Then he took a seedling from the land,
placed it in fertile soil;
a plant[a] by abundant waters,
he set it like a willow twig.(C)
6 It sprouted and became a vine
spreading out but low;
its branches turned toward him;
its roots remained where it stood.
So it became a vine;
it brought forth branches,
put forth foliage.
7 There was another great eagle
with great wings and much plumage.
And see! This vine stretched out
its roots toward him;
it shot out its branches toward him
from the bed where it was planted
so that he might water it.(D)
8 It had been transplanted
to good soil by abundant waters,
so that it might produce branches
and bear fruit
and become a noble vine.
9 Say: Thus says the Lord God:
Will it prosper?
Will he not pull up its roots,
cause its fruit to rot[b] and wither,
its fresh sprouting leaves to fade?
No strong arm or mighty army will be needed
to pull it from its roots.
10 Look, it has been transplanted. Will it thrive?
When the east wind strikes it,
will it not utterly wither,
wither on the bed where it grew?(E)
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.