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Thursday, September 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 19 / Ordinary 24
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Bible in Basic English

Ezekiel 17:5

And he took some of the seed of the land, planting it in fertile earth, placing it by great waters; he put it in like a willow-tree.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ezekiel;   Parables;   Willow;   Scofield Reference Index - Parables;   Thompson Chain Reference - Trees;   Willows;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Babylon;   Cedar, the;   Prophets;   Trees;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Allegory;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Riddle;   Willows;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Eagle;   Fable;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Exile;   Ezekiel;   Plants in the Bible;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ezekiel;   Fable;   Vine, Vineyard;   Willow;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Willow,;   Zedekiah ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Field;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Proverb;   Willow Tree;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Allegory in the Old Testament;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then he took some of the land’s seed and put it in a fertile field; he set it like a willow, a plant by abundant water.
Hebrew Names Version
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil; he placed it beside many waters; he set it as a willow tree.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
Then he took of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside abundant waters. He set it like a willow twig,
New American Standard Bible
"He also took from the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil, a meadow beside abundant waters; he set it like a willow.
New Century Version
"‘The eagle took some seed from the land and planted it in a good field near plenty of water. He planted it to grow like a willow tree.
Amplified Bible
"He also took some of the seed of the land (Zedekiah, of the royal family) and planted it in fertile soil and a fruitful field; he placed it beside abundant waters and set it like a willow tree.
World English Bible
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil; he placed it beside many waters; he set it as a willow tree.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Hee tooke also of the seede of the lande, and planted it in a fruitfull ground: hee placed it by great waters, and set it as a willowe tree.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"He also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside abundant waters; he set it like a willow.
Legacy Standard Bible
He also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in a field fit for seed. He placed it beside abundant waters; he set it like a willow.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
Contemporary English Version
The eagle also took seed from Israel and planted it in a fertile field with plenty of water, like a willow tree beside a stream.
Complete Jewish Bible
He also took some of the seed in the land and planted it in fertile soil, placing it where there was abundant water, as one would a willow.
Darby Translation
And he took of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, he set it as a willow tree.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the eagle took some of the seeds from Canaan. He planted them in good soil by a good river.
George Lamsa Translation
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in uncultivated land; he placed it by many waters, and then set a watchman over it.
Good News Translation
Then he took a young plant from the land of Israel and planted it in a fertile field, where there was always water to make it grow.
Lexham English Bible
and he took from the seed of the land and placed it in fertile soil on many waters; like a willow he planted it.
Literal Translation
He also took of the seed of the land and planted it in a field of seed. He took it by great waters; he set it as a willow.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He toke also a braunch of the londe, and planted it in a frutefull grounde, he brought it vnto greate waters, & set it as a willye tre therby.
American Standard Version
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil; he placed it beside many waters; he set it as a willow-tree.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil; he placed it beside many waters, he set it as a slip.
King James Version (1611)
Hee tooke also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitfull field, he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He toke also of the seede of the land, and planted it in a fruiteful grounde, he brought it vnto great waters, and set it in an open trenche.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he took of the seed of the land, and sowed it in a field planted by much water; he set it in a conspicuous place.
English Revised Version
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil; he placed it beside many waters; he set it as a willow tree.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he took of the seed of the lond, and settide it in the lond for seed, that it schulde make stidfast roote on many watris; he settide it in the hiyere part.
Update Bible Version
He also took of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil; he placed it beside many waters; he set it as a willow-tree.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
New English Translation
He took one of the seedlings of the land, placed it in a cultivated plot; a shoot by abundant water, like a willow he planted it.
New King James Version
Then he took some of the seed of the land And planted it in a fertile field; He placed it by abundant waters And set it like a willow tree.
New Living Translation
He also took a seedling from the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside a broad river, where it could grow like a willow tree.
New Life Bible
Then he took some of the seed of the land and planted it in good ground for growing. He planted it like a willow tree where there was much water to make it grow.
New Revised Standard
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.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So he took of the seed of the land, and planted it in a field for seed,- He took it near mighty waters, Like a willow-tree, he set it.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he took of the seed of the land, and put it in the ground for seed, that it might take a firm root over many waters: he planted it on the surface of the earth.
Revised Standard Version
Then he took of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil; he placed it beside abundant waters. He set it like a willow twig,
Young's Literal Translation
And it taketh of the seed of the land, And doth put it in a field of seed, To take by many waters, In a conspicuous place it hath set it.

Contextual Overview

1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 Son of man, give out a dark saying, and make a comparison for the children of Israel, 3 And say, This is what the Lord has said: A great eagle with great wings, full of long feathers of different colours, came to Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar: 4 Biting off the highest of its young branches, he took it to the land of Canaan, and put it in a town of traders. 5 And he took some of the seed of the land, planting it in fertile earth, placing it by great waters; he put it in like a willow-tree. 6 And its growth went on and it became a vine, low and widely stretching, whose branches were turned to him and its roots were under him: so it became a vine, putting out branches and young leaves. 7 And there was another eagle with great wings and thick feathers: and now this vine, pushing out its roots to him, sent out its branches in his direction from the bed where it was planted, so that he might give it water. 8 He had it planted in a good field by great waters so that it might put out branches and have fruit and be a strong vine. 9 Say, This is what the Lord has said: Will it do well? will he not have its roots pulled up and its branches cut off, so that all its young leaves may become dry and it may be pulled up by its roots? 10 And if it is planted will it do well? will it not become quite dry at the touch of the east wind, drying up in the bed where it was planted?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the seed: Zedekiah, brother to Jeconiah. Ezekiel 17:13, 2 Kings 24:17, Jeremiah 37:1

planted it in a fruitful field: Heb. put it in a field of seed, Made him king of Judea. Deuteronomy 8:7-9

he placed: Made him dependent on Babylon, the city of great waters, as the willow is on humidity. Ezekiel 19:11, Ezekiel 19:12, Isaiah 15:7, Isaiah 44:4

Reciprocal: Job 40:22 - the willows Jeremiah 11:17 - that Jeremiah 12:2 - hast Ezekiel 17:8 - soil Ezekiel 31:4 - waters Hosea 14:6 - branches

Cross-References

Genesis 17:2
And I will make an agreement between you and me, and your offspring will be greatly increased.
Genesis 17:4
As for me, my agreement is made with you, and you will be the father of nations without end.
Genesis 17:15
And God said, As for Sarai, your wife, from now her name will be not Sarai, but Sarah.
Genesis 17:21
But my agreement will be with Isaac, to whom Sarah will give birth a year from this time.
Genesis 17:23
And Abraham took Ishmael, his son, and all whose birth had taken place in his house, and all his servants whom he had made his for a price, every male of his house, and on that very day he gave them circumcision in the flesh of their private parts as God had said to him.
Genesis 32:28
And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome.
Numbers 13:16
These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to get knowledge about the land. And Moses gave to Hoshea, the son of Nun, the name of Joshua.
2 Samuel 12:25
And he sent word by Nathan the prophet, who gave him the name Jedidiah, by the word of the Lord.
Nehemiah 9:7
You are the Lord, the God, who took Abram and made him yours, guiding him from Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham;
Isaiah 65:15
And your name will become a curse to my people, and the Lord God will put you to death, and give his servants another name:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He took also of the seed of the land,.... Of the land of Judea, a native of it, not a stranger; not one of another country, a Babylonian; not one of his own nobles or princes, did Nebuchadnezzar, the eagle, take and set upon the throne of Judea, but one of their own, even one of the king's seed, of the blood royal, as it is explained,

Ezekiel 17:13, Mattaniah, the uncle of Jeconiah, whom the king of Babylon called Zedekiah, and made him king in his room:

and planted it in a fruitful field; in the land of Judea, and in Jerusalem the royal city:

he placed [it] by great waters; many people, Revelation 17:15; over whom he ruled, and by whom he was supported in his royal dignity:

[and] set it [as] a willow tree; which loves moist places, and grows up thick: unless it should be rendered, "he set it with great circumspection" s; took a great deal of care and caution in placing him upon the throne; he made a covenant with him, took an oath of him, and hostages for the performance of it, Ezekiel 17:13. The Targum is,

"a planted vine he set it,''

to make it agree with what follows; but the word in the Chaldee and Arabic languages signifies a kind of willow, as we render it, as Ben Melech observes t.

s צפצפה שמו "circumspectissime posuit illud, Junins Tremellius, Polanus "cum magna circumspectione", Piscator; "circumspecte, Cocceius, Starckius. t And so it does; see Castel, col. 3220, 3221. and in this way Jarchi and Kimchi interpret the word, in which they are followed by many; so R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 73. 1. nevertheless, the sense of it here is disapproved of by Castel, who observes, what has a willow to do with a vine? col. 3222. and commends the Greek version, which renders it, επιβλεπομενον, "conspicuous", to be seen; and so others translate it, "in superficie", V. L. Grotius; yet the "safsaf" of the Arabs is a tree by which they understood the "abeile" or poplar tree; see Shaw's Travels, p. 432. Ed. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He took also of the seed of the land - Zedekiah the king’s uncle, not a Babylonian satrap, was made king.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 17:5. The seed of the land — Zedekiah, brother of Jehoiachin.

Planted it in a fruitful field — Made him king of Judea in place of his brother.

Placed it by great waters — Put him under the protection of Babylon, situated on the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates.

And set it as a willow tree — Made him dependent on this city of great waters, as the willow is on humidity.


 
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