New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Ezekiel 17
1
A message came to me from the Lord. He said,
2
"Son of man, tell the people of Israel a story about their kings. Let them know what will happen to them.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 20:49
3
Tell them, 'The Lord and King says, "A great eagle came to the city of 'Lebanon.' It had powerful wings and a lot of long feathers. The feathers were colorful and beautiful. The eagle landed in the top of a cedar tree.
Reference
4
It broke off the highest twig. It carried it away to Babylonia. There are many traders in that land. The eagle planted the twig in the city of Babylon.
5
" ' "Then it got a seed from your land. It put it in rich soil near plenty of water. It planted the seed like a willow tree.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 44:4
6
The seed grew into a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned toward the eagle. And its roots remained under the eagle. So the seed became a vine. It produced branches and put out leaves.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 17:14
7
" ' "But there was another great eagle. It also had powerful wings and a lot of feathers. The vine now sent its roots out toward that eagle. It sent them out from the place where it was planted. And it reached out its branches to the eagle for water.
Reference
8
The seed had been planted in good soil near plenty of water. Then it could produce branches and bear fruit. It could become a beautiful vine." '
9
"Ezekiel, tell the Israelites, 'The Lord and King asks, "Will the vine grow? Won't it be pulled up by its roots? Won't all of its fruit be stripped off? Won't it dry up? All of its new growth will dry up. It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up.
10
It will not grow even if it is pulled up and planted somewhere else. It will dry up completely when the east wind strikes it. It will dry up in the place where it grew." ' "
Reference
Parallel theme
Hosea 13:15
11
A message came to me from the Lord. He said,
12
"These people refuse to obey me. Ask them, 'Don't you know what these things mean?' Tell them, 'Nebuchadnezzar went to Jerusalem. He was king of Babylonia. He carried off King Jehoiachin and the nobles. He brought them back with him to the city of Babylon.
Reference
13
" 'Then Nebuchadnezzar made a peace treaty with Zedekiah. He was a member of Jerusalem's royal family. Nebuchadnezzar made him take an oath and promise he would keep the treaty. He also took the leading men of the land away as prisoners.
Reference
14
He did it to bring their kingdom down. It would not rise again. In fact, it would be able to last only by keeping his treaty.
Reference
Kingdom
Ezekiel 29:14
15
" 'But Zedekiah turned against him. He sent messengers to Egypt. They went there to get horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Will he who does things like that escape? Can he break the peace treaty and still escape?
Reference
Covenant
Ezekiel 17:18
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 52:3
Jeremiah 38:18
Jeremiah 34:3
Ezekiel 17:7
2 Kings 24:20
2 Chronicles 36:13
Jeremiah 38:23
Ezekiel 17:9
References Egypt
Deuteronomy 17:16
16
" 'Zedekiah will die in Babylon,' announces the Lord and King. 'And that is just as sure as I am alive. He will die in the land of King Nebuchadnezzar, who put him on the throne. He is the king whose oath Zedekiah hated. He also broke Nebuchadnezzar's treaty.
Reference
17
" 'So Nebuchadnezzar will build ramps against the walls of Jerusalem. He will set up war machines to destroy many lives. Pharaoh will not be able to help Zedekiah during the war. The huge and mighty army of Egypt will not be of any help.
Reference
18
" 'Zedekiah hated Nebuchadnezzar's oath and broke his treaty. He had made a firm promise to keep it. But he broke it anyway. So he will not escape.
Reference
Kingdom
1 Chronicles 29:24
19
" 'The Lord and King says, "Zedekiah hated the oath he took in my name. He broke the treaty. So I will pay him back. And that is just as sure as I am alive.
Reference
20
I will spread out my net to catch him. He will be caught in my trap. I will bring him to Babylon. I will judge him there because he was not faithful to me.
Reference
21
" ' "All of Zedekiah's troops will be killed with swords when they try to run away. Those who are left alive will be scattered to the winds. Then you will know that I have spoken. I am the Lord."
Reference
22
" 'The Lord and King says, "I myself will get a twig from the very top of a cedar tree and plant it. I will break off the highest twig. I will plant it on a very high mountain.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 53:2
Psalm 2:6
Psalm 72:16
Zechariah 3:8
References God
Ezekiel 20:40
Ezekiel 40:2
References Lord
Micah 4:1
23
I will plant it on the high mountains of Israel. It will produce branches and bear fruit. It will become a beautiful cedar tree. All kinds of birds will make their nests in it. They will live in the shade of its branches.
Reference
24
All of the trees in the fields will know that I bring tall trees down. I make short trees grow tall. I dry up green trees. And I make dry trees green." " 'I have spoken. I will do it. I am the Lord.' "
Reference
Parallel theme
Amos 9:11
Isaiah 26:5
Psalm 89:45
References Lord
Ezekiel 12:25
Ezekiel 24:14
Ezekiel 22:14
Chapter Summary
Ezekiel 17 presents a riddle about two great eagles and a vine that ultimately becomes a direct explanation of Judah's political crisis, showing how Babylon removed Judah's king, installed Zedekiah as a subordinate ruler, and gave Judah an opportunity to survive under Babylonian authority, only for Zedekiah to break his oath by seeking military support from Egypt and thereby bring about the destruction of Jerusalem.
The first eagle represents Babylon, whose great power allows it to take the highest branch of the cedar, symbolizing the removal of Jerusalem's royal leadership and the deportation of King Jehoiachin and important officials to Babylon in 597 BC.
The vine represents Judah, which is planted under Babylonian authority and allowed to continue as a smaller kingdom.
The arrangement could have provided Judah with a measure of stability and survival, but Zedekiah eventually turns toward the second eagle, representing Egypt, seeking military assistance against Babylon.
This decision becomes the critical act of rebellion that leads to the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem.
The chapter emphasizes that Zedekiah's failure is not simply a matter of choosing the wrong political alliance; he has broken an oath and violated a covenant, making his rebellion an act of unfaithfulness that carries moral consequences as well as political ones.
Although Zedekiah appears to be seeking freedom through an alliance with Egypt, God declares that Egypt will not be able to save him when Babylon attacks, demonstrating that Judah's political calculations cannot overturn what God has determined.
The historical fulfillment is closely connected with the events of 586 BC, when Babylon captured Jerusalem, destroyed the city and Temple, and took Zedekiah into captivity after his failed attempt to escape.
Yet the chapter does not end with destruction.
The final verses introduce a new shoot taken from the cedar, which God Himself plants and causes to grow into a great tree.
This creates a striking contrast between human political ambition and divine restoration: the existing royal structure will be brought low because of rebellion, but God will eventually establish something new and flourishing according to His own purposes.
The final statement that God can bring down the high tree and raise the low tree emphasizes that human power is never ultimately independent of God, because kingdoms can rise or fall according to His sovereign purposes.
The central message is that Ezekiel 17 uses the images of two powerful eagles, a cedar, and a vine to explain how Babylon removed Judah's king, placed Zedekiah on the throne under a binding agreement, and temporarily allowed the reduced kingdom to survive, but when Zedekiah broke his oath by turning toward Egypt for military support, his rebellion brought Babylon's final attack upon Jerusalem and resulted in his capture and exile, demonstrating that political alliances and human calculations cannot overturn God's purposes and that breaking a solemn commitment carries serious consequences, while the chapter's closing image of a tender shoot planted by God introduces a hopeful contrast in which the Lord Himself brings down the proud, raises what is low, and establishes a flourishing kingdom, showing that although human rulers and kingdoms may collapse through their own unfaithfulness, God's purposes for restoration remain firmly under His sovereign control.
The first eagle represents Babylon, whose great power allows it to take the highest branch of the cedar, symbolizing the removal of Jerusalem's royal leadership and the deportation of King Jehoiachin and important officials to Babylon in 597 BC.
The vine represents Judah, which is planted under Babylonian authority and allowed to continue as a smaller kingdom.
The arrangement could have provided Judah with a measure of stability and survival, but Zedekiah eventually turns toward the second eagle, representing Egypt, seeking military assistance against Babylon.
This decision becomes the critical act of rebellion that leads to the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem.
The chapter emphasizes that Zedekiah's failure is not simply a matter of choosing the wrong political alliance; he has broken an oath and violated a covenant, making his rebellion an act of unfaithfulness that carries moral consequences as well as political ones.
Although Zedekiah appears to be seeking freedom through an alliance with Egypt, God declares that Egypt will not be able to save him when Babylon attacks, demonstrating that Judah's political calculations cannot overturn what God has determined.
The historical fulfillment is closely connected with the events of 586 BC, when Babylon captured Jerusalem, destroyed the city and Temple, and took Zedekiah into captivity after his failed attempt to escape.
Yet the chapter does not end with destruction.
The final verses introduce a new shoot taken from the cedar, which God Himself plants and causes to grow into a great tree.
This creates a striking contrast between human political ambition and divine restoration: the existing royal structure will be brought low because of rebellion, but God will eventually establish something new and flourishing according to His own purposes.
The final statement that God can bring down the high tree and raise the low tree emphasizes that human power is never ultimately independent of God, because kingdoms can rise or fall according to His sovereign purposes.
The central message is that Ezekiel 17 uses the images of two powerful eagles, a cedar, and a vine to explain how Babylon removed Judah's king, placed Zedekiah on the throne under a binding agreement, and temporarily allowed the reduced kingdom to survive, but when Zedekiah broke his oath by turning toward Egypt for military support, his rebellion brought Babylon's final attack upon Jerusalem and resulted in his capture and exile, demonstrating that political alliances and human calculations cannot overturn God's purposes and that breaking a solemn commitment carries serious consequences, while the chapter's closing image of a tender shoot planted by God introduces a hopeful contrast in which the Lord Himself brings down the proud, raises what is low, and establishes a flourishing kingdom, showing that although human rulers and kingdoms may collapse through their own unfaithfulness, God's purposes for restoration remain firmly under His sovereign control.