Ezekiel 17:4-14

4 broke off its topmost shoot; he carried it to a land of trade, set it in a city of merchants.
5 Then he took a seed from the land, placed it in fertile soil; a plant by abundant waters, he set it like a willow twig.
6 It sprouted and became a vine spreading out, but low; its branches turned toward him, its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine; it brought forth branches, put forth foliage.
7 There was another great eagle, with great wings and much plumage. And see! This vine stretched out its roots toward him; it shot out its branches toward him, so that he might water it. From the bed where it was planted
8 it was transplanted to good soil by abundant waters, so that it might produce branches and bear fruit and become a noble vine.
9 Say: Thus says the Lord God: Will it prosper? Will he not pull up its roots, cause its fruit to rot and wither, its fresh sprouting leaves to fade? No strong arm or mighty army will be needed to pull it from its roots.
10 When it is transplanted, will it thrive? When the east wind strikes it, will it not utterly wither, wither on the bed where it grew?
11 Then the word of the Lord came to me:
12 Say now to the rebellious house: Do you not know what these things mean? Tell them: The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and its officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon.
13 He took one of the royal offspring and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath (he had taken away the chief men of the land),
14 so that the kingdom might be humble and not lift itself up, and that by keeping his covenant it might stand.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Meaning of Heb uncertain
  • [b]. Meaning of Heb uncertain
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.