Ezekiel 17:11-24
Expanded Bible
Zedekiah Against Nebuchadnezzar
11 Then the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 12 “Say now to the ·people who refuse to obey [L rebellious house]: ‘Don’t you know what these things mean?’ Say: ‘[L Look; T Behold] The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took the king [C Jehoiachin; 2 Kin. 24:12] and ·important men [nobles; officials] of Jerusalem and brought them to Babylon. 13 Then he took ·a member of the family of the king of Judah [L from the royal offspring/seed; C Zedekiah, Jehoiachin’s uncle; 2 Kin. 24:17] and made an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with him, ·forcing him to take an [putting him under] oath. The king also took away the leaders of ·Judah [L the land] 14 to ·make the kingdom weak [humble/bring low the kingdom] so it would not ·be strong [rise; exalt itself] again. Then the kingdom of Judah ·could continue only [would stand] by keeping its ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with the king of Babylon. 15 But ·the king of Judah [L he; C referring to Zedekiah; 2 Kin. 24:20] ·turned [rebelled] against the king of Babylon by sending his ·messengers [emissaries] to Egypt and asking them for horses and many soldiers [2 Kin. 24:20]. Will ·the king of Judah succeed [he prosper/succeed]? Will the one who does such things escape? ·He cannot [L Can he…?] break the ·agreement [covenant; treaty] and escape.
16 “‘As surely as I live, says the Lord God, he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who made him king of Judah. The king of Judah ·hated [despised] his ·promise [oath] to the king of Babylon and broke his ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with him. 17 ·The king of Egypt [L Pharaoh] with his mighty army and ·many people [vast horde] will not help ·the king of Judah [L him] in the war. The Babylonians will build ·devices [ramps and siege walls] to attack the cities and to ·kill [destroy; cut off] many people. 18 The king of Judah showed that he ·hated [despised] the ·promise [oath] by breaking the ·agreement [covenant; treaty]. He ·promised to support Babylon [L gave his hand (in pledge)], but he did all these things. So he will not escape.
19 “‘So this is what the Lord God says: As surely as I live, I will ·pay back the king of Judah [L bring down on his head] for ·hating [despising] my ·promise [oath] and breaking my ·agreement [covenant; treaty]. 20 I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my ·trap [snare]. Then I will bring him to Babylon, where I will ·punish [execute judgment on] him for the ·unfaithful acts [treachery] he did against me. 21 All the ·best[a] [choice men] of his soldiers will die by the sword, and those who live will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken.
22 “‘This is what the Lord God says: I myself will also take a ·young branch [shoot; sprig] from the top of a tall cedar tree, and I will plant it. I will cut off a ·small [tender] twig from the top of the tree’s young branches, and I will plant it on a ·very high [L high and lofty] mountain. 23 I will plant it on the ·high mountain [mountain heights] of Israel. Then it will grow branches and give fruit and become a ·great [beautiful; majestic] cedar tree. Birds of every kind will build nests in it and live in the ·shelter [shade] of the tree’s branches. 24 Then all the trees in the ·countryside [field] will know that I am the Lord. I bring down the high tree and make the low tree tall. I ·dry up [wither] the green tree and make the dry tree ·grow [thrive; flourish]. I am the Lord. I have spoken, and I will do it.’”
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- Ezekiel 17:21 best Some Hebrew copies read “choice men.” Other Hebrew copies read “fugitives.”
Ezekiel 17:11-24
Amplified Bible
Zedekiah’s Rebellion
11 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 12 “Say now to the rebellious house, ‘Do you not know (realize) what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Hear this, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took its king [Jehoiachin] and its princes and brought them with him to Babylon.(A) 13 And he took a member of the royal family [the king’s uncle, Zedekiah] and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took the important leaders of the land,(B) 14 so that the kingdom would be in subjection, unable to restore itself and rise again, but that by keeping his covenant it might continue. 15 But Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar by sending his ambassadors to Egypt so that they might give him horses and many troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant [with Babylon] and [still] escape? 16 As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘surely in the country of the king (Nebuchadnezzar) who made Zedekiah [the vassal] king, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, in Babylon Zedekiah shall die. 17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in the war, when they (the Babylonians) put up ramps and build siege walls to destroy many lives. 18 Now Zedekiah dishonored the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he gave his hand and pledged his allegiance, yet did all these things; he shall not escape.’” 19 Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “As I live, I will bring down on his own head My oath [made on My behalf by Nebuchadnezzar] which Zedekiah dishonored and My covenant which he broke. 20 I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare; and I will bring him to Babylon and will enter into judgment with him there for his treason which he has committed against Me. 21 All the choice men [from Judah] in all his troops will fall by the sword, and those that survive will be scattered to every wind; and you will know [without any doubt] that I the Lord have spoken.”
22 [a]Thus says the Lord God, “I Myself will take a twig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out; I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.(C) 23 I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel, that it may grow boughs and bear fruit and be a noble and stately cedar. And birds of every kind will live under it; they will nest [securely] in the shade of its branches. 24 All the trees of the field will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will fulfill it.”
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- Ezekiel 17:22 These next three verses contain a word of prophecy regarding the coming of the Messiah, from the line of David, and His worldwide reign in the Millennium.
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