Ezekiel 17

The Riddle of the Eagles

1 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, put a riddle before the house of Israel and tell them a parable.

3 Say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: A great eagle with huge wings and long feathers, full of colorful plumage, came to Lebanon and snapped off the top of a cedar.

4 He broke off its highest branch and carried it to a land of merchants, setting it down in a city of traders.

5 Then he took some seed from the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside abundant waters and set it like a willow.

6 It sprouted and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned toward him, and its roots stayed under it. So it became a vine, produced branches, and put out shoots.

7 But there was another great eagle with big wings and thick feathers. And look, the vine bent its roots toward him and stretched out its branches toward him from the bed where it was planted, so he could water it.

8 It had been planted in good soil by abundant waters, to produce branches, bear fruit, and become a strong 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 it withers, All its fresh leaves will dry up. It will not take great strength or many people to yank it up by the roots.

10 Even if it is planted, will it thrive, When the east wind strikes it, will it not completely wither in the bed where it grew,’”

The Riddle Explained

11 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

12 “Say now to the rebellious house, ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Say, ‘Look, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and officials, and brought them back to Babylon.

13 He took one from the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took the powerful men of the land,

14 so the kingdom would stay low, not rise up, but keep the covenant so it could survive.

15 But he rebelled against him by sending messengers to Egypt so they would give him horses and many troops. Will he succeed, Will the one who does this escape, Can he break a covenant and still get away,’

16 As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who made him king, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke.

17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and great crowd will not help him in the war, when siege ramps are built and siege walls are raised to cut off many lives.

18 He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. He gave his hand in pledge and then did all these things, he will not escape.

19 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: As I live, I will bring down on his own head My oath that he despised and My covenant that he broke.

20 I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and enter judgment with him there for the unfaithfulness he committed against Me.

21 All his chosen troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.

The Lord’s Cedar

22 This is what the Lord GOD says: “I Myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it. I will break off a tender one from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain.

23 On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, and it will bring forth branches, bear fruit, and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind will live under it; they will nest in the shade of its branches.

24 Then all the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I bring down the high tree and raise up the low tree. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it.”