Ezekiel 17

1 Yahweh gave me another message. [He said, ]

And the word of Yahweh came unto me saying:

2 “You human, tell this story/parable [DOU] to the people [MTY] of Israel.

Son of man Put thou forth a riddle And speak thou a parable, - Unto the house of Israel:

3 [Say to them, ] ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: A huge eagle that had strong wings and long beautiful feathers of many colors flew to Lebanon. It grasped the top of a cedar [tree]

So then thou shalt say, Thus, saith My Lord. Yahweh, — A great eagle, with large wings of long pinion, full of plumage, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:

4 and broke it off. Then the eagle carried it away to [Babylonia], a country that had many merchants/businessmen, and planted it in one of the cities there.

The crown of its young twigs, plucked he off, and brought it into a land of traffic, in a city of merchants, he set it.

5 Then that eagle took a seedling from [your] country and planted it in a fertile field. He planted it like people plant a willow tree, alongside [a stream that had] plenty of water.

So he took of the seed of the land, and planted it in a field for seed, - He took it near mighty waters, Like a willow-tree, he set it.

6 It grew and became a low grapevine that spread [along the ground]. Its branches turned up towards the eagle, but its roots grew down into the ground. So it became a [good] vine and produced [lots of] branches and leaves.

And it shot forth, and became a spreading vine of lowly stature, Its branches turning towards him, And its roots under him spread, - So it became a vine, And brought forth shoots, And sent forth boughs.

7 But there was another huge eagle that had strong wings and beautiful feathers. And [some of] the roots of the vine grew toward that eagle, and its branches [also] turned toward it, hoping that the eagle would bring more water to it.

And it came to pass that there was another great eagle, with large wings, and abundant plumage, - And lo! this vine, stretched its roots hungry towards him. And its branches, sent it forth unto him, That he might cause it to drink out of the beds where it was planted:

8 [That happened in spite of the fact that] the vine had [already] been planted in good soil, where there was plenty of water, with the result that it had produced branches and produced grapes and had become a very healthy/productive vine.’

In a goodly field by mighty waters, was it planted, - That it might bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, That it might become a splendid vine.

9 Then [after you have told that to the people, say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: That vine] will certainly not [RHQ] remain healthy/productive. It will be [RHQ] pulled up by its roots by the eagle [that planted it], and all its fruit will be stripped off and its leaves will wither. And it will not need someone with strong arms or many people to pull it out by its roots.

Say thou, Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, Shall it thrive? Its roots, will he not tear up? Its fruit, will he not cut off, that it wither? All the fresh leaves it hath caused to spring forth shall wither without a strong arm or many people, to pull it up by its roots.

10 Even if that vine is transplanted, it certainly will not continue to grow [RHQ]. When the hot wind from the east blows against it, it will completely wither, there where it was planted! [RHQ]’”

Lo! therefore though [it remain] planted, shall it thrive? As soon as an east wind toucheth it, will it not utterly wither? On the beds where it sprang up, will it not wither?

11 Then Yahweh gave this message to me:

Then came the word of Yahweh unto me saying:

12 “Ask these rebellious [Israeli] people, ‘Do you know what this parable/story means?’ Tell them that it signifies that the King of Babylon went to Jerusalem [with his army] and captured the King of Judah and his officials, and took them back to Babylon.

Say, I pray thee unto the perverse house, Know ye not what these things are? Say thou Lo! the King of Babylon entered Jerusalem And took her king and her princes, And brought them unto him in Babylon;

13 Then he took one of the king’s close relatives [and appointed him to be the king], and made an agreement with him, forcing him to solemnly promise [to remain loyal]. The King of Babylon also took to Babylon the other important citizens of Judah,

Yea took of the seed royal And solemnised with him a covenant, And brought him into an oath, Also the mighty ones of the land, did he take.

14 in order that the kingdom of Judah would not be able to become powerful again. The King of Babylon intended that the kingdom [of Judah] would not continue to exist if the people did not obey that agreement [that he made with the King of Babylon].

That, the kingdom might be abased, so as not to lift itself up, — By the keeping of his covenant, might be made to stand.

15 But the King of Judah rebelled against the King of Babylon by sending officials to Egypt to request from them horses and a large army [to fight against the army of Babylonia]. But the King of Judah will certainly not [RHQ] be sucessful. Rulers who [rebel like that and] and refuse to obey solemn agreements will never [RHQ] escape.

But he hath rebelled against him by sending his messengers to Egypt, that there should be given to him horses, and much people. Shall he thrive? Shall he escape that doeth these things? Shall he break a covenant and escape?

16 [I], Yahweh the Lord, declare that [as surely] as I am alive, the King of Judah will die in Babylon, in the city where the King of Babylon appointed him to be the King [MTY] [of Judah]. He will die because he despised the solemn agreement and refused to do what he promised to do.

As I live, Declareth My Lord Yahweh, Very! in the place where dwelleth the king that made him king, Whose oath he hath despised, And whose covenant he hath broken With him in the midst of Babylon, shall he die.

17 The King of Egypt with all his very huge army [DOU] will not [be able to] help the King of Judah: [The soldiers from Babylonia] will build ramps up against the walls of Jerusalem and set up devices to batter the walls. They will [enter Jerusalem and] kill many of its people.

Neither shall Pharaoh with a great force. or with a large gathered host, work with him in the war, by casting up an earthwork and by building a siege-wall, —to the cuting off of many lives.

18 The King of Judah despised the solemn agreement by disregarding the treaty. Although he had solemnly promised to be under the control of the King of Babylon, [he sent officials to request help from Egypt]. Therefore he will not escape being punished [by the King of Babylon].

Seeing he hath despised an oath. by breaking a covenant—yea lo! hath given his hand and all these things hath done he shall not escape.

19 Therefore this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: 'Just as surely as I am alive, I will cause the King of Judah to be punished [IDM] for ignoring the solemn agreement that he made [with the King of Babylon] and then refusing to obey it.

Therefore, Thus saith My Lord Yahweh As I live, Surely it is mine oath which he hath despised, and my covenant which he hath broken, Therefore will I bring it upon his own head:

20 [It will be as though] I will spread a net to capture him, and he will be caught in it. He will [be captured and] taken to Babylon and punished because he rebelled against me.

And I will spread over him my net, And he shall be taken in my snare, And I will bring him into Babylon and will enter into judgment with him there, as to his treachery wherewith he hath been treacherous against me;

21 Most [HYP] of his soldiers who try to escape will be killed by [their enemies’] swords, and those who survive will be scattered in all directions. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].'”

And all his fugitives throughout all his bands by the sword, shall fall, And they who are left, to every wind, shall be scattered, - [So shall ye know that I, Yahweh, have spoken!]

22 This is [also] what Yahweh the Lord says: “[It will be as though] I will take a shoot from the top of a very tall cedar [tree] and plant it [DOU] in another place. I will plant it on a very high [DOU] mountain.

Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, Therefore will I, Myself, take of the highest branch of the lofty cedar and set it, — Of the crown of its young twigs, a tender one, will I pluck off, and I. myself will plant it upon a mountain high and terraced,

23 [It will be as though] I will plant it on a mountain in Israel, and it will grow and become a beautiful cedar [tree]. Many [HYP] kinds of birds will make their nests in the tree, and they will have shade in its branches.

In the mountain of the height of Israel, will I plant it, And it shall put forth boughs And bear fruit, And become a majestic cedar, - And every bird of every wing shall dwell under it, In the shade of its branches, shall they dwell.

24 And [it will be as though] all the trees in the field will know that I, Yahweh, get rid of tall trees and make little ones grow. I cause [big] green trees to wither, and I cause dry trees to become green. I, Yahweh have said this, and I will [certainly] do what I have said that I will do.”

So shall all the trees of the field know that I Yahweh Have laid low the high tree Have exalted the low tree, Have dried up the moist tree, And have caused to flourish the tree, that was dry, — I, Yahweh, have spoken, and performed.