Ezekiel 17

1 Now the word [message from God, divine communication] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] came [was given, existed] to me, saying [to speak, to declare, to command], word study 2 “Son [descendant, human] of man [Adam, humanity], pose [put forth, present] a riddle [puzzle, enigma]; speak [tell, share] a parable [proverb, lesson] to [toward, for] the house [family, nation] of Israel [God’s chosen people] word study 3 and tell them that this is what the Lord [Adonay, the supreme Master] GOD [Yehovah] says: ‘A great [powerful, majestic] eagle [a large bird of prey] with great [large, expansive] wings and long [extended, stretching] pinions, full [abundant, plentiful] of feathers [plumage, covering] of many [diverse, varied] colors, came [approached, flew] to Lebanon [a mountain range in Israel] and took away [removed, seized] the top [the highest branch, the treetop] of the cedar [a strong and durable tree]. word study 4 He plucked off [cropped, broke off] its topmost shoot [young twig, tender branch], carried it to the land [country, territory] of merchants [traders, businessmen], and planted it in a city [town, place of trade] of traders [merchants, commerce]. word study 5 He took [also, in addition] some of the seed [offspring, descendants] of the land [earth, territory] and planted [set, placed] it in fertile [fruitful, productive] soil; he placed [set, put] it by [beside, near] abundant [great, many] waters [rivers, streams] and set [appointed, established] it out like [as, similar to] a willow [willow tree, flexible branch]. word study 6 It sprouted [grew, budded] and became a spreading [low, humble] vine [a grapevine], low in height [stature], with branches [thin shoots] turned toward him [facing, to]; yet its roots [foundation, source] remained where it stood [underneath, beneath]. So it became a vine [a grapevine] and yielded [produced, brought forth] branches [boughs] and sent out [extended, spread] shoots [sprigs, young leaves]. word study 7 But there was another great [powerful, majestic] eagle [a large bird of prey] with great [large, expansive] wings and many [abundant, numerous] feathers [plumage]. And behold, this vine [a grapevine] bent its roots [the underground part of a plant, a source or foundation] toward him. It stretched out its branches [a part of a tree] to him from its planting bed [a raised area of land, a garden or terrace], so that he might water [give nourishment and sustenance to] it. word study 8 It had been planted [in a good field, by many waters] in good soil [a pleasant and fertile land] by abundant waters [a large river, great waters] in order to yield [to produce, bring forth] branches [a part of a tree, a bough] and bear [to lift, raise] fruit [the produce of the ground, the result of our actions] and become [to exist, come into being] a splendid [excellent, goodly] vine [a grapevine].’ word study 9 So you are to tell them that this is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah] says: ‘Will it flourish [prosper, be successful]? Will it not be uprooted [pulled up by its roots] and stripped of its fruit [cut off from its source of nourishment] so that it shrivels [dries up, withers away]? All [every part, the entirety] its foliage [leaves, branches] will wither [dry up, lose vitality]! It will not take a strong [powerful, mighty] arm [the arm as stretched out; strength, might, power] or many [a large number, a multitude] people to pull it up by its roots [to completely uproot it]. word study 10 Even if it is transplanted [removed and replanted], will it flourish [prosper, succeed]? Will it not completely wither [dry up, perish] when the east wind [the burning wind from the east] strikes? It will wither [shrivel up, lose vitality] on the bed [garden bed, fertile soil] where it sprouted [began to grow, came to life].’” word study 11 Then the word [message, declaration] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] came [existed, came into being] to me, saying [to speak, to command], word study 12 “Now say [please, I pray thee] to this rebellious [uncontrolled, stubborn] house: ‘Do you not know [are you unaware, do you not understand] what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Behold, the king [ruler, monarch] of Babylon [a city and empire of confusion] came to Jerusalem [the city of peace], carried off [took, led away] its king [ruler, monarch] and officials [princes, leaders], and brought them back [led them, took them] with him to Babylon [a place of captivity]. word study 13 He took [selected, chose] a member of the royal family [seed of the kingdom, offspring] and made [cut, established] a covenant [agreement, promise] with him, putting [bringing] him under oath [pledge, vow]. Then he carried away [took, removed] the leading men [mighty ones, strong leaders] of the land [earth, territory], word study 14 so that the kingdom [a low kingdom, in subjection] would be brought low [humble, base], unable to lift [raise, exalt] itself up, surviving [standing, enduring] only by keeping [obeying, guarding] his covenant [promise, agreement]. word study 15 But this king [the ruler of Judah] rebelled [resisted, defied authority] against Babylon by sending [dispatching, commissioning] his envoys [messengers, representatives] to Egypt [a neighboring country] to ask [request, seek] for horses [chariot horses, cavalry] and a large army [a multitude of soldiers, a great force]. Will he flourish [prosper, succeed, be victorious]? Will the one who does such things [who acts in rebellion, who disobeys] escape [be delivered, slip away to safety]? Can he break [violate, frustrate] a covenant [a promise, an agreement, a treaty] and yet escape [be delivered, go unpunished]?’ word study 16 ‘As surely as I live [as I am the living God, with absolute power and authority],’ declares the Lord GOD [Adonay, the sovereign Ruler], ‘he will die [meet his physical end, experience mortal death] in Babylon [the city of confusion, a place of exile], in the land of the king [the ruler who enthroned him, with earthly authority] who enthroned him, whose oath [a solemn promise, a binding vow] he despised [treated with contempt, disregarded] and whose covenant [a sacred agreement, a divine promise] he broke [violated, failed to uphold]. word study 17 Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] with his mighty [strong, powerful] army and vast [great, numerous] horde will not [in no way] help him in battle [war, conflict], when ramps [mounds, siege works] are built [constructed, established] and siege walls [forts, strongholds] constructed [built, established] to destroy [cut off, eliminate] many [numerous, abundant] lives [souls, living beings]. word study 18 He despised [held in contempt, scorned] the oath [solemn promise, vow] by breaking [violating, splitting apart] the covenant [agreement, treaty]. Seeing that he gave his hand [pledged, promised] in pledge [as a guarantee, assurance] yet did all these things [committed these actions, rebellions], he will not escape [be delivered, slip away]!’ word study 19 Therefore [thus, in this manner] this is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign God] GOD [Yehovah] says: ‘As surely as I live [am alive, have eternal life], I will bring down upon his head [cause to fall on his own responsibility] My oath [promise, solemn agreement] that he despised [held in contempt, disregarded] and My covenant [treaty, sacred agreement] that he broke [violated, shattered]. word study 20 I will spread [stretch out, cast forth] My net [snare, trap] over him and catch [seize, take] him in My snare [net, meshes]. I will bring [lead, take] him to Babylon [the city of confusion, Babel] and execute [pronounce, declare] judgment [verdict, sentence] upon him there [in that place, at that time] for the treason [unfaithfulness, transgression] he committed [acted, rebelled] against Me [in opposition to, in rebellion against]. word study 21 All [every one of] his choice troops [best fighting-men, fugitives] will fall [be defeated, perish] by the sword [cutting instrument, weapon of war], and those who survive [remain, are left over] will be scattered [spread out, dispersed] to every [all] wind [a blast of air]. Then you will know [understand, ascertain] that I, the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], have spoken [communicated, declared].’ word study 22 This is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah] says: ‘I will take [pluck, crop off] a shoot [young sprout, tender branch] from the lofty [high, elevated] top of the cedar [a cedar tree, strong and durable], and I will set [plant, establish] it out. I will pluck [cut off, remove] a tender [soft, delicate] sprig [small branch, twig] from its topmost [highest, uppermost] shoots, and I will plant [transplant, place] it on a high [elevated, lofty] and lofty [exalted, prominent] mountain [a hill]. word study 23 I will plant [transplant, move to a new location] it on the mountain [high place] heights [elevated areas, lofty regions] of Israel [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob] so that it will bear [produce, bring forth] branches [limbs, boughs]; it will yield [produce, give] fruit [the result of its labor, spiritual produce] and become [grow into, develop as] a majestic [great, powerful] cedar [a strong and durable tree]. Birds [fowl, winged creatures] of every kind [all types, various species] will nest [dwell, make their home] under [beneath, in the shade of] it, taking [finding, receiving] shelter [protection, refuge] in the shade [shadow, protection] of its branches [limbs, boughs]. word study 24 Then all [every single one] the trees [strong and firm objects, like wooden planks] of the field [a flat area of land used for cultivation or as a habitat] will know [ascertain by seeing, learn, perceive] that I [the first person singular, used for emphasis] am the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. I bring [to lower or abase] the tall [high, elevated, or powerful] tree down [to humble or reduce] and make [to cause or bring about] the low [humble or physically short] tree tall [to exult or become lofty]. I dry up [to wither or cause to perish] the green [fresh, moist, or flourishing] tree and make [to cause or bring about] the withered [dry, lifeless, or barren] tree flourish [to sprout, bloom, or break forth]. I, the LORD [the supreme God and ruler], have spoken [to communicate or declare], and I have done [to make or bring about] it.’” word study