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Complete Jewish Bible

Ezekiel 17:3

say that Adonai Elohim says this: ‘A big eagle having great wings and long pinions full of varicolored feathers came to the L'vanon and took over the top of the cedar.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Eagle;   Ezekiel;   Scofield Reference Index - Parables;   Thompson Chain Reference - Lebanon;   Mountains;   Parables;   Truth;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Babylon;   Cedar, the;   Eagle, the;   Prophets;   Trees;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Allegory;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Branch;   Cedar;   Riddle;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Eagle;   Fable;   Proverbs, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Branch;   Ezekiel;   Fable;   Vine, Vineyard;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Broidered;   Proverb;   Zedekiah ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Eagle;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Color;   Eagle;   Feathers;   Wing;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Branch and Bough;   Eagle;   Highest;   Pinion;   Proverb;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Branch;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Allegory in the Old Testament;   Anglo-Israelism;   Embroidery;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: A huge eagle with powerful wings, long feathers, and full plumage of many colors came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.
Hebrew Names Version
and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers, which had various colors, came to Levanon, and took the top of the cedar:
King James Version
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:
English Standard Version
say, Thus says the Lord God : A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, rich in plumage of many colors, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.
New American Standard Bible
saying, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: "A great eagle with great wings, long pinions, and a full plumage of many colors came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar.
New Century Version
Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: A giant eagle with big wings and long feathers of many different colors came to Lebanon and took hold of the top of a cedar tree.
Amplified Bible
saying, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "A great eagle (Nebuchadnezzar) with great wings, long pinions and a rich plumage of many colors came to Lebanon (Jerusalem) and took away the top of the cedar (Judah).
World English Bible
and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers, which had various colors, came to Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar:
Geneva Bible (1587)
And say, Thus saith the Lorde God, The great egle with great wings, and long wings, and ful of fethers, which had diuers colours, came vnto Lebanon, & tooke the hiest branch of the cedar,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
saying, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "A great eagle with great wings, long pinions and a full plumage of many colors came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar.
Legacy Standard Bible
and you will say, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, "A great eagle with great wings, long pinions, and a full plumage of many colors came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar.
Berean Standard Bible
and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: 'A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers of many colors, came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar.
Contemporary English Version
so they will understand what I am saying to them: A large eagle with strong wings and beautiful feathers once flew to Lebanon. It broke the top branch off a cedar tree,
Darby Translation
and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: A great eagle with great wings, long-pinioned, full of feathers, which was of divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar.
Easy-to-Read Version
Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: "‘A large eagle with big wings came to Lebanon. He had feathers covered with spots.
George Lamsa Translation
And say, Thus says the LORD God: A great eagle with large wings and long pinions and fully developed claws, and thickly feathered, came to Lebanon and took the choicest branch of the cedar:
Good News Translation
to let them know what I, the Sovereign Lord , am saying to them: There was a giant eagle with beautiful feathers and huge wings, spread wide. He flew to the Lebanon Mountains and broke off the top of a cedar tree,
Lexham English Bible
and you must say, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "The great eagle with great wings and long feathers and full of variegated plumage came to Lebanon and he took the treetop of the cedar.
Literal Translation
And say, So says the Lord Jehovah: A great eagle came to Lebanon, one with great wings, long of pinion, full of feathers, having different colors to him. And he took the top of the cedar.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and saye: Thus saieth the LORDE God: There came a greate Aegle with greate wynges, yee wt mightie longe wynges, and full of fethers of dyuerse colours, vpon the mount of Libanus, and toke a braunch from a Cedre tre,
American Standard Version
and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers, which had divers colors, came unto Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar:
Bible in Basic English
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:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and say: Thus saith the Lord GOD: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar;
King James Version (1611)
And say, Thus saith the Lord God, A great eagle with great wings, long wing'd, full of feathers, which had diuers colours, came vnto Lebanon, and tooke the highest branch of the Cedar.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And say, Thus saith the Lorde God: There came a great Egle, with great winges, yea with a mightie long body, and ful of fethers of diuers colours, vppon the mount of Libanus, and toke the hyest braunche of a Cedar tree.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
and thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; A great eagle with large wings, spreading them out very far, with many claws, which has the design of entering into Libanus—and he took the choice branches of the cedar:
English Revised Version
and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and thou schalt seie, The Lord God seith these thingis. A greet egle of grete wyngis, with long stretchyng out of membris, ful of fetheris and of dyuersite, cam to the Liban, and took awei the merowe of the cedre.
Update Bible Version
and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers, which had diverse colors, came to Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar:
Webster's Bible Translation
And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, long-winged, full of feathers, which had divers colors, came to Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:
New English Translation
Say to them: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: "‘A great eagle with broad wings, long feathers, with full plumage which was multi-hued, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.
New King James Version
and say, "Thus says the Lord GOD: "A great eagle with large wings and long pinions, Full of feathers of various colors, Came to Lebanon And took from the cedar the highest branch.
New Living Translation
Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord : "A great eagle with broad wings and long feathers, covered with many-colored plumage, came to Lebanon. He seized the top of a cedar tree
New Life Bible
Tell them, ‘The Lord God says, "A large eagle with big wings and long feathers of many colors came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar tree.
New Revised Standard
Say: Thus says the Lord God : A great eagle, with great wings and long pinions, rich in plumage of many colors, came to the Lebanon. He took the top of the cedar,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So then thou shalt say, Thus, saith My Lord. Yahweh, - A great eagle, with large wings of long pinion, full of plumage, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:
Douay-Rheims Bible
And say: Thus saith the Lord God; A large eagle with great wings, long-limbed, full of feathers, and of variety, came to Libanus, and took away the marrow of the cedar.
Revised Standard Version
say, Thus says the Lord GOD: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, rich in plumage of many colors, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar;
Young's Literal Translation
and thou hast said: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: The great eagle, great-winged, long-pinioned, Full of feathers, that hath diverse colours, Hath come in unto Lebanon, And it taketh the foliage of the cedar,

Contextual Overview

1 The word of Adonai came to me: 2 "Human being, propound this riddle, tell the house of Isra'el this allegory, 3 say that Adonai Elohim says this: ‘A big eagle having great wings and long pinions full of varicolored feathers came to the L'vanon and took over the top of the cedar. 4 He cropped off the topmost of its young twigs, carried them to a land of traders and set them down in a city of merchants. 5 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. 6 It grew to become a fruitful vine sprawling over the ground; its branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him — thus it became a vine, sprouting branches and putting forth shoots. 7 "‘There was another big eagle with great wings and many feathers; and the vine bent its roots toward him and put forth its branches toward him, so that he might water it more than in the bed where it was planted. 8 It had been planted in good soil, near plenty of water, so that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a noble vine.' 9 "Say that Adonai Elohim asks: ‘Will it succeed? Won't he pull it up by the roots and cut off its fruit; so that it dries up; and all its sprouting leaves wither? There will be no great power and few people there when it is plucked up by the roots. 10 Will it thrive just because it was planted? Won't it wither altogether when the east wind strikes it? Yes, it will wither right there in the beds where it was growing.'"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

A great: Nebuchadnezzar, so called from his towering ambition and rapaciousness. Ezekiel 17:7, Ezekiel 17:12-21, Deuteronomy 28:49, Jeremiah 4:13, Jeremiah 48:40, Jeremiah 49:16, Lamentations 4:19, Hosea 8:1, Matthew 24:28

great wings: Extensive empire, both in length and breadth. Daniel 2:38, Daniel 4:22, Daniel 7:4

full: Numerous subjects, of various nations, and of different languages and manners.

divers colours: Heb. embroidering

came: Came against Judah and Jerusalem. Ezekiel 17:12, 2 Kings 24:10-16, 2 Chronicles 36:9, 2 Chronicles 36:10, Jeremiah 22:23-28, Jeremiah 24:1

the highest: Jeconiah, whom he took captive to Babylon.

the cedar: The royal and ancient family of David.

Reciprocal: Genesis 15:11 - fowls Deuteronomy 28:48 - serve Judges 9:8 - The trees Job 14:9 - and bring Isaiah 8:8 - the stretching Ezekiel 15:6 - General Ezekiel 31:3 - a cedar Daniel 7:6 - four wings Habakkuk 1:8 - they

Cross-References

Genesis 17:17
At this Avraham fell on his face and laughed — he thought to himself, "Will a child be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah give birth at ninety?"
Genesis 17:18
Avraham said to God, "If only Yishma‘el could live in your presence!"
Genesis 17:23
Avraham took Yishma‘el his son, all the slaves born in his house and all who had been bought with his money, every male among the people in Avraham's household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin that very day, just as God had said to him.
Genesis 17:24
(Maftir) Avraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin,
Exodus 3:6
I am the God of your father," he continued, "the God of Avraham, the God of Yitz'chak and the God of Ya‘akov." Moshe covered his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
Numbers 14:5
Moshe and Aharon fell on their faces before the entire assembled community of the people of Isra'el.
Numbers 16:22
They fell on their faces and said, "Oh God, God of the spirits of all humankind, if one person sins, are you going to be angry with the entire assembly?"
Numbers 16:45
Now Korach the son of Yitz'har, the son of K'hat, the son of Levi, along with Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av, and On, the son of Pelet, descendants of Re'uven, took men and rebelled against Moshe. Siding with them were 250 men of Isra'el, leaders of the community, key members of the council, men of reputation. They assembled themselves against Moshe and Aharon and said to them, "You take too much on yourselves! After all, the entire community is holy, every one of them, and Adonai is among them. So why do you lift yourselves up above Adonai 's assembly?" When Moshe heard this he fell on his face. Then he said to Korach and his whole group, "In the morning, Adonai will show who are his and who is the holy person he will allow to approach him. Yes, he will bring whomever he chooses near to himself. Do this: take censers, Korach and all your group; put fire in them; and put incense in them before Adonai tomorrow. The one whom Adonai chooses will be the one who is holy! It is you, you sons of Levi, who are taking too much on yourselves!" Then Moshe said to Korach, "Listen here, you sons of Levi! Is it for you a mere trifle that the God of Isra'el has separated you from the community of Isra'el to bring you close to himself, so that you can do the work in the tabernacle of Adonai and stand before the community serving them? He has brought you close and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you. Now you want the office of cohen too! That's why you and your group have gathered together against Adonai ! After all, what is Aharon that you complain against him?" Then Moshe sent to summon Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av. But they replied, "We won't come up! Is it such a mere trifle, bringing us up from a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert, that now you arrogate to yourself the role of dictator over us? (ii) You haven't at all brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, and you haven't put us in possession of fields and vineyards. Do you think you can gouge out these men's eyes and blind them? We won't come up!" Moshe was very angry and said to Adonai , "Don't accept their grain offering! I haven't taken one donkey from them, I've done nothing wrong to any of them." Moshe said to Korach, "You and your group, be there before Adonai tomorrow — you, they and Aharon. Each of you take his fire pan and put incense in it; every one of you, bring before Adonai his fire pan, 250 fire pans, you too, and Aharon — each one his fire pan." Each man took his fire pan, put fire in it, laid incense on it and stood at the entrance to the tent of meeting with Moshe and Aharon. Korach assembled all the group who were against them at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then the glory of Adonai appeared to the whole assembly. (iii) Adonai said to Moshe and Aharon, "Separate yourselves from this assembly; I'm going to destroy them right now!" They fell on their faces and said, "Oh God, God of the spirits of all humankind, if one person sins, are you going to be angry with the entire assembly?" Adonai answered Moshe, "Tell the assembly to move away from the homes of Korach, Datan and Aviram." Moshe got up and went to Datan and Aviram, and the leaders of Isra'el followed him. There he said to the assembly, "Leave the tents of these wicked men! Don't touch anything that belongs to them, or you may be swept away in all their sins." So they moved away from all around the area where Korach, Datan and Aviram lived. Then Datan and Aviram came out and stood at the entrance to their tents with their wives, sons and little ones. Moshe said, "Here is how you will know that Adonai has sent me to do all these things and that I haven't done them out of my own ambition: if these men die a natural death like other people, only sharing the fate common to all humanity, then Adonai has not sent me. But if Adonai does something new — if the ground opens up and swallows them with everything they own, and they go down alive to Sh'ol — then you will understand that these men have had contempt for Adonai ." The moment he finished speaking, the ground under them split apart — the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their households, all the people who had sided with Korach and everything they owned. So they and everything they owned went down alive into Sh'ol, the earth closed over them and their existence in the community ceased. All Isra'el around them fled at their shrieks, shouting, "The earth might swallow us too!" Then fire came out from Adonai and destroyed the 250 men who had offered the incense.
Joshua 5:14
"No," he replied, "but I am the commander of Adonai 's army; I have come just now." Y'hoshua fell down with his face to the ground and worshipped him, then asked, "What does my lord have to say to his servant?"
Judges 13:20
as the flame went up toward the sky from the altar, the angel of Adonai went up in the flame from the altar. When Manoach and his wife saw it, they fell to the ground on their faces.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And say, thus saith the Lord God,.... The riddle is not the prophet's, nor the parable his, but the Lord God's; and exceeding beautiful and apt it is, to signify the things designed by it; the wisdom of God is greatly displayed in it:

a great eagle; which is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, as it is explained, Ezekiel 17:12; who is compared to an eagle for his power and authority, that being the king of birds, and for his swiftness and voracity in conquering and subduing kingdoms; see Jeremiah 48:40;

with great wings; so the Babylonish monarchy is signified by a lion with eagle's wings, Daniel 7:4; and the two parts of the Roman empire, into which it was divided at the death of Theodosius, are called two wings of a great eagle, Revelation 12:14; and so here it may denote the large kingdoms and provinces which belonged to the Babylonian monarchy; see Esther 1:1;

longwinged; or having a "long member" m; meaning the body of the wing, which was long; and so, as the wings spread, may signify the breadth of his dominion, this the length of them, and both their extensiveness:

full of feathers; of cities, towns, people, armies, wealth, and riches:

which had divers colours; or an "embroidery" n; like that of the weaver, only needle work, consisting of various colours; and so it alludes to such eagles as are called the golden eagle, and "asterias", from their golden colour, and their being spotted like stars, and which are said to be of the largest size, as Bochart, from Aelianus o, observes; and may signify people of divers languages, customs, manners, and circumstances, subject to the government of the king of Babylon:

came unto Lebanon; the northern border of the land of Judea, and invaded it; where were the mountain and forest of Lebanon, famous for the cedars that grew there, from whence the whole land may here take its name, as being more apt for the allegory used: or the city of Jerusalem, where were the temple built of the cedars of Lebanon, as many of its palaces and houses also were; whither the king of Babylon came, and took it, and who came northward, as Babylon was:

and took the highest branch of the cedar; by the "cedar" is meant, either the nation in general, or the royal family in particular; and by the "highest branch" the then reigning king, Jeconiah with the princes and nobles of the land, who were taken and carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar; see 2 Kings 24:14.

m ארך האבר "longa corpore", Castalio; "longa membris", Munster, Grotius; "longo membororum ductu", Pradus. n אשר לו הרקמה, Heb; "opus phrygionicum", Piscator. o Aelian. Hist. Animal. l. 2. c. 39.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A great eagle ... - Probably the golden eagle, whose plumage has the variety of color here depicted. The eagle (the king of birds) is a natural representative of monarchs (compare, Jeremiah 48:40), and was an Assyrian emblem.

With great wings, Iongwinged - literally, “great of wing, long of pinion,” because he has swept victoriously over widely distant lands - of divers colors, because his subjects are of various races and tongues. Jerusalem is here called “Lebanon” because Lebanon is the proper home of the cedar. The “highest branch” or “topshoot” is Jeconiah, the rightful king of Jerusalem, the “young twigs” are his children and the princes carried by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 17:3. A great eagle — Nebuchadnezzar. See Jeremiah 48:40; Jeremiah 49:22; Daniel 7:4. And see here, Ezekiel 17:12, where it is so applied.

Great wings — Extensive empire.

Long-winged — Rapid in his conquests.

Full of feathers — Having multitudes of subjects.

Divers colours — People of various nations.

Came unto Lebanon — Came against Judea.

The highest branch — King Jehoiachin he took captive to Babylon.

The cedar — The Jewish state and king.


 
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