Ezekiel 17

Ezekiel tells a riddle of two great eagles and a vine. The first eagle represents Babylon, which planted Zedekiah as a vassal king; but the vine turned toward a second eagle — Egypt — breaking the covenant. The LORD declares that He Himself will plant a tender twig on a high mountain, and it will become a noble cedar.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,	The word of the LORD came to me:
2	Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;	"Son of man, set forth a riddle and tell a parable to the house of Israel."
3	And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:	"Say: This is what the Lord GOD says: A great eagle with powerful wings, long feathers, and full plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar."
4	He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.	"He broke off the topmost of its young twigs and carried it to a land of traders. He planted it in a city of merchants."
5	He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.	"He also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil. He put it beside plentiful waters and set it like a willow."
6	And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.	"It sprouted and became a spreading vine — low-growing but wide. Its branches turned toward Him, and its roots grew down into the soil. So it became a vine, produced branches, and put out leafy boughs."
7	There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.	"But there was another great eagle with powerful wings and full plumage. This vine bent its roots toward Him and stretched its branches toward Him, looking for water from the soil where it was planted."
8	It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.	"It had been planted in good soil beside abundant waters so it could produce branches, bear fruit, and become a splendid vine."
9	Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of its spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.	"Say to them: This is what the Lord GOD says: Will it thrive? Will not the first eagle pull up its roots and strip off its fruit so it withers? All its fresh growth will wither. It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by the roots."
10	Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.	"Even though it was planted, will it thrive? Will it not utterly wither when the east wind strikes it — wither away in the very beds where it grew?"
11	Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,	The word of the LORD came to me:
12	Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon;	"Say to that rebellious house: Don't you know what these things mean? The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and its officials, and brought them back to Babylon."
13	And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:	"He took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, binding him with an oath. He also took away the leading men of the land."
14	That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.	"This was so that the kingdom would be kept low, unable to rise again — surviving only by keeping the covenant."
15	But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?	"But the king of Judah rebelled against Babylon by sending envoys to Egypt to get horses and a great army. Will he succeed? Can he break the covenant and escape?"
16	As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.	"As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, He will die in Babylon — in the land of the king who put him on the throne and whose oath he despised and whose covenant He broke."
17	Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:	"Pharaoh with his mighty army and great forces will not help him in the war when siege ramps are built and siege towers erected to destroy many lives."
18	Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.	"He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he had given his word and done all these things, he will not escape."
19	Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.	"Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: As surely as I live, I will bring down on His own head the oath He despised and the covenant He broke."
20	And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.	"I will throw My net over Him and catch Him in My snare. I will bring Him to Babylon and enter into judgment with Him there for the trespass He committed against Me."
21	And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it.	"All His best troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered in every direction. You will know that I the LORD have spoken."
22	Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:	"This is what the Lord GOD says: I Myself will take a tender shoot from the top of a tall cedar and plant it. From the topmost of its young branches I will take a tender sprig and plant it on a high and lofty mountain."
23	In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.	"On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it. It will produce branches and bear fruit and become a great cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it. They will find shelter in the shade of its branches."
24	And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.	"All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it."