1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto 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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.
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.
11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
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;
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:
14 That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.
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?
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
The seventeenth chapter of the book of Ezekiel in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible is a rich, metaphorical narrative that presents a parable of two eagles and a vine. This chapter is a significant part of Ezekiel's prophetic ministry, where God uses him to convey messages to the nation of Israel. The chapter is laden with deep spiritual meanings, historical references, and prophetic declarations, all of which are wrapped in the enigmatic symbolism of the parable.
The chapter begins with God commanding Ezekiel to propound a riddle and speak a parable unto the house of Israel. The riddle, as presented in the chapter, is a narrative about two great eagles and a flourishing vine. The first eagle, with large wings and long feathers of various colors, comes to Lebanon and takes the highest branch of a cedar tree. It carries it to a city of merchants and plants it in a fruitful field by abundant waters. This action symbolizes the first deportation of the Judeans by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, represented by the first eagle. The highest branch of the cedar symbolizes King Jehoiachin of Judah, who was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar and carried off to Babylon.
The parable continues with the emergence of the second eagle, which also had large wings and many feathers. The vine, which was planted by the first eagle, bent its roots towards the second eagle and shot forth its branches towards him in the hope of getting water. This is symbolic of King Zedekiah's rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar and his turning to Egypt (the second eagle) for help.
God, through Ezekiel, then gives His verdict on the actions of the vine (the nation of Israel). He declares that it will be uprooted and wither, despite its planting by abundant waters. This is a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by Nebuchadnezzar as a result of Zedekiah's rebellion. The chapter further emphasizes that no power, not even the mighty Pharaoh of Egypt, can save them from this impending doom.
However, God also gives a promise of restoration. He declares that He will take a tender twig from the highest branch of the cedar (the Davidic line), plant it on a high and eminent mountain (Zion), and it will bear fruit and become a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell all fowl of every wing, in the shadow of its branches, they will dwell. This is a prophecy of the Messianic kingdom, where the Messiah, a descendant of David, will establish a kingdom of peace and prosperity that will be a refuge for all nations.
The parable of the two eagles and the vine in Ezekiel 17 is not just a historical narrative, but it carries deep spiritual meanings and applications for both the Israelites and contemporary believers. It highlights the consequences of disobedience and rebellion against God's commands, as represented by Zedekiah's rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar. It also underscores the futility of trusting in human power and alliances for deliverance, as depicted by Zedekiah's futile attempt to seek help from Egypt.
On the other hand, the parable also brings forth the theme of God's sovereignty and His ability to bring restoration and redemption despite dire circumstances. The prophecy of the Messianic kingdom is a testament to this. It serves as a beacon of hope for the Israelites in their time of despair and a promise that God will fulfill His covenant with David.
For contemporary believers, the parable serves as a reminder of the importance of obedience to God's commands and the dangers of rebellion and self-reliance. It also reinforces the assurance of God's sovereignty and His ability to restore and redeem. The prophecy of the Messianic kingdom is a reaffirmation of the fulfilled promise in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who established a spiritual kingdom that offers salvation and refuge to all nations.
Chapter 17 of the book of Ezekiel is a profound narrative that presents timeless truths through the parable of the two eagles and the vine. It serves as a historical record, a prophetic declaration, and a spiritual guide. It underscores the importance of obedience, the futility of rebellion and self-reliance, and the assurance of God's sovereignty and redemption. As we delve deeper into its message, we are challenged to examine our obedience to God, our reliance on Him, and our reception of His redemption through Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy.
Share this page