CHAPTER 17
and tell them that
this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘A great
eagle
with great
wings
and long
pinions,
full
of feathers
of many colors,
came
to
Lebanon
and took away
the top
of the cedar.
He plucked off
its topmost
shoot,
carried it
to
the land
of merchants,
and planted
it in a city
of traders.
He took
some of the seed
of the land
and planted
it in fertile
soil;
he placed it
by
abundant
waters;
he set it out
like a willow.
It sprouted
and became
a spreading
vine,
low
in height
with branches
turned
toward him;
yet its roots
remained
where it stood.
So it became
a vine
and yielded
branches,
and sent out
shoots.
But there was
another
great
eagle
with great
wings
and many
feathers.
And behold,
this
vine
bent
its roots
toward him.
It stretched out
its branches
to him
from its planting
bed,
so that he might water it.
It
had been planted
in
good
soil
by
abundant
waters
in order to yield
branches
and bear
fruit
and become
a splendid
vine.’
So you are to tell them
that this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘Will it flourish?
Will it not
be uprooted
and stripped
of its fruit
so that it shrivels?
All
its foliage
will wither!
It will not take
a strong
arm
or many
people
to pull
it up
by its roots.
Even if transplanted,
will it flourish?
Will it not
completely wither
when the east
wind
strikes?
It will wither
on
the bed
where it sprouted.’”
“Now
say to
this rebellious
house:
‘Do you not
know
what
these things mean?’
Tell them,
‘Behold,
the king
of Babylon
came
to Jerusalem,
carried off
its king
and officials,
and brought them back
with him
to Babylon.
He took
a member of the royal
family
and made
a covenant
with him,
putting
him under oath.
Then he carried away
the leading men
of the land,
so that the kingdom
would be
brought low,
unable
to lift itself up,
keeping
his covenant
to survive.
But this king rebelled
against Babylon
by sending
his envoys
to Egypt
to ask for
horses
and a large
army.
Will he flourish?
Will the one who does
such
things escape?
Can he break
a covenant
and yet escape?’
‘As surely as
I live,’
declares
the Lord
GOD,
‘surely
he will die
in
Babylon,
in the land
of the king
who enthroned him,
whose
oath
he despised
and whose
covenant
he broke.
Pharaoh
with his mighty
army
and vast
horde
will not
help
him
in battle,
when ramps
are built
and siege walls
constructed
to destroy
many
lives.
He despised
the oath
by breaking
the covenant.
Seeing that
he gave
his hand in pledge
yet did
all
these,
he will not
escape!’
Therefore,
this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘As
surely as
I live,
I will bring down
upon his head
My oath
that
he despised
and My covenant
that
he broke.
I will spread
My net
over him
and catch him
in My snare.
I will bring
him to Babylon
and execute judgment
upon him
there
for the treason
he committed
against Me.
All
his fleeing
troops
will fall
by the sword,
and those who survive
will be scattered
to every
wind.
Then you will know
that
I,
the LORD,
have spoken.’
This is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘I
will take a shoot
from the lofty
top
of the cedar,
and I will set it out.
I will pluck
a tender sprig
from its topmost
shoots,
and I
will plant it
on
a high
and lofty
mountain.
I will plant it
on the mountain
heights
of Israel
so that it will bear
branches;
it will yield
fruit
and become
a majestic
cedar.
Birds
of every
kind
will nest
under it,
taking shelter
in the shade
of its branches.
Then all
the trees
of the field
will know
that
I
am the LORD.
I bring
the tall
tree down,
and make the low
tree
tall.
I dry up
the green
tree
and make the withered
tree
flourish.
I,
the LORD,
have spoken,
and I will do it.'"