17:1 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
17:2 “Son of man, ask a riddle and present a parable to the house of Israel,
17:3 ①saying, ‘This is what the Lord ②GOD says: “A great ③eagle with great wings, long pinions, and a full plumage of many colors came to ④Lebanon and took away the top of the ⑤cedar.
▷ ①Lit and you shall say ②Heb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch ③I.e., Nebuchadnezzar ④I.e., Jerusalem ⑤I.e., the line of David
17:4 He broke off the ①topmost of its young twigs and brought it to a land of merchants; he set it in a ②city of traders.
▷ ①I.e., King Jehoiachin and the leaders ②I.e., Babylon
17:5 He also took ①from the seed of the land and planted ②it in ③fertile soil, a ④meadow beside abundant waters; he set it like a willow.
▷ ①I.e., Zedekiah ②I.e., Zedekiah ③Lit a field of seed ④Or plant
17:6 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.
17:7 “But there was ①another 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 planted, so that he might water it.
▷ ①As in several ancient versions; MT one
17:8 It was planted in good ①soil beside abundant waters, so that it would produce branches and bear fruit, and become a splendid vine.” ’
▷ ①Lit field
17:9 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 ①strength nor by many people can it be raised from its roots again.
▷ ①Lit arm
17:10 Behold, though it is planted, will it thrive? Will it not completely wither as soon as the east wind strikes it—wither on the beds where it grew?” ’ ”
17:11 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
17:12 “Say now to the rebellious house, ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Say, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and leaders, and brought them to him in Babylon.
17:13 Then he took one of the royal ①family and made a covenant with him, ②putting him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land,
▷ ①Lit seed ②Lit and caused him to enter into an oath
17:14 so that the kingdom would be humbled, not exalting itself, but keeping his covenant so that it might continue.
17:15 But ①he revolted against ②him by sending his messengers to Egypt so that they might give him horses and many ③troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does these things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant and escape?
▷ ①I.e., Zedekiah ②I.e., Nebuchadnezzar ③Lit people
17:16 As I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘In the ①country of the king who ②put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, ③in Babylon he shall certainly die.
▷ ①Lit place ②Lit made him king ③Lit with him in Babylon
17:17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and great contingent will not ①help him in the war, when they pile up assault ramps and build siege walls to eliminate many lives.
▷ ①Lit act with
17:18 Now he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he ①pledged his allegiance, yet did all these things; he shall not escape.’ ”
▷ ①Lit gave his hand
17:19 Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: “As I live, My oath which he despised and My covenant which he broke, I will certainly ①inflict on his head.
▷ ①Lit give it
17:20 And I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My net. Then I will bring him to Babylon and enter into judgment with him there regarding the unfaithful act which he has committed against Me.
17:21 All the ①choice men in all his troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to every wind; and you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.”
▷ ①As in many mss and ancient versions; MT refugees
17:22 This is what the Lord GOD says: “I will also take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and ①set it out; I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.
▷ ①Lit give
17:23 On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, so that it may bring forth branches and bear fruit, and become a stately cedar. And ①birds of every ②kind will ③nest under it; they will ④nest in the shade of its branches.
▷ ①Lit every bird ②Lit wing ③Lit dwell ④Lit dwell
17:24 All the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD; I bring down the high 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 perform it.”