Ezekiel 17:13

THE MESSAGE

The Great Tree Is Made Small and the Small Tree Great God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, make a riddle for the house of Israel. Tell them a story. Say, ‘ God , the Master, says: "‘A great eagle with a huge wingspan and long feathers, In full plumage and bright colors, came to Lebanon And took the top off a cedar, broke off the top branch, Took it to a land of traders, and set it down in a city of shopkeepers. Then he took a cutting from the land and planted it in good, well-watered soil, like a willow on a riverbank. It sprouted into a flourishing vine, low to the ground. Its branches grew toward the eagle and the roots became established— A vine putting out shoots, developing branches. "‘There was another great eagle with a huge wingspan and thickly feathered. This vine sent out its roots toward him from the place where it was planted. Its branches reached out to him so he could water it from a long distance. It had been planted in good, well-watered soil, And it put out branches and bore fruit, and became a noble vine. "‘ God , the Master, says, Will it thrive? Won't he just pull it up by the roots and leave the grapes to rot And the branches to shrivel up, a withered, dead vine? It won't take much strength or many hands to pull it up. Even if it's transplanted, will it thrive? When the hot east wind strikes it, won't it shrivel up? Won't it dry up and blow away from the place where it was planted?'" God 's Message came to me: "Tell this house of rebels, ‘Do you get it? Do you know what this means?' "Tell them, ‘The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took its king and its leaders back to Babylon. He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, making him swear his loyalty. The king of Babylon took all the top leaders into exile to make sure that this kingdom stayed weak—didn't get any big ideas of itself—and kept the covenant with him so that it would have a future. "‘But he rebelled and sent emissaries to Egypt to recruit horses and a big army. Do you think that's going to work? Are they going to get by with this? Does anyone break a covenant and get off scot-free? "‘As sure as I am the living God, this king who broke his pledge of loyalty and his covenant will die in that country, in Babylon. Pharaoh with his big army—all those soldiers!—won't lift a finger to fight for him when Babylon sets siege to the city and kills everyone inside. Because he broke his word and broke the covenant, even though he gave his solemn promise, because he went ahead and did all these things anyway, he won't escape. "‘Therefore, God , the Master, says, As sure as I am the living God, because the king despised my oath and broke my covenant, I'll bring the consequences crashing down on his head. I'll send out a search party and catch him. I'll take him to Babylon and have him brought to trial because of his total disregard for me. All his elite soldiers, along with the rest of the army, will be killed in battle, and whoever is left will be scattered to the four winds. Then you'll realize that I, God , have spoken. "‘ God , the Master, says, I personally will take a shoot from the top of the towering cedar, a cutting from the crown of the tree, and plant it on a high and towering mountain, on the high mountain of Israel. It will grow, putting out branches and fruit—a majestic cedar. Birds of every sort and kind will live under it. They'll build nests in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the field will recognize that I, God , made the great tree small and the small tree great, made the green tree turn dry and the dry tree sprout green branches. I, God , said it—and I did it.'"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he took away the leading men of the land,

Hebrew Names Version
and he took of the seed royal, and made a covenant with him; he also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land;

King James Version
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:

English Standard Version
And he took one of the royal offspring and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath (the chief men of the land he had taken away),

New American Standard Bible
'Then he took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land,

New Century Version
Then he took a member of the family of the king of Judah and made an agreement with him, forcing him to take an oath. The king also took away the leaders of Judah

Amplified Bible
'And he took a member of the royal family [the king's uncle, Zedekiah] and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took the important leaders of the land,

World English Bible
and he took of the seed royal, and made a covenant with him; he also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land;

Geneva Bible (1587)
And hath taken one of the Kings seede, and made a couenant with him, & hath taken an othe of him: he hath also taken the princes of the land,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land,

Legacy Standard Bible
He took one of the royal seed and cut a covenant with him and brought him under oath. He also took away the dominant one of the land,

Berean Standard Bible
He took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land,

Contemporary English Version
He chose someone from the family of Judah's king and signed a treaty with him, then made him swear to be loyal. He also led away other important citizens,

Complete Jewish Bible
Then he took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He removed the powerful leaders of the land,

Darby Translation
And he took of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and brought him under an oath, and he took away the mighty of the land;

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Nebuchadnezzar made an agreement with a man from the king's family. Nebuchadnezzar forced that man to make a promise. So this man promised to be loyal to Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made this man the new king of Judah. Then he took all the powerful men away from Judah.

George Lamsa Translation
And he shall take one of the offspring of the royal family, and make a covenant with him and take an oath of him; and he shall carry away the rulers of the land, so that they may not boast again,

Good News Translation
He took one of the king's family, made a treaty with him, and made him swear to be loyal. He took important men as hostages

Lexham English Bible
And he took from the seed of the kingship, and he made with him a covenant, and he brought him under oath, and he took the rulers of the land,

Literal Translation
And he took of the royal seed, and he has cut with him a covenant and has made him enter into an oath. And he took the mighty of the land,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He toke of the kinges sede, and made a couenaunt with him, and toke an ooth of him: The prynces of the londe toke he with him also,

American Standard Version
And he took of the seed royal, and made a covenant with him; he also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land;

Bible in Basic English
And he took one of the sons of the king and made an agreement with him; and he put him under an oath, and took away the great men of the land:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
and he took of the seed royal, and made a covenant with him, and brought him under an oath, and the mighty of the land he took away;

King James Version (1611)
And hath taken of the kings seed, and made a couenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
He toke of the kynges seede, and made a couenaunt with him, and toke an othe of hym, the princes of the lande toke he with him also.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he shall take of the seed royal, and shall make a covenant with him, and shall bind him with an oath: and he shall take the princes of the land:

English Revised Version
and he took of the seed royal, and made a covenant with him; he also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land:

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he schal take of the seed of the rewme, and schal smyte with it a boond of pees, and he schal take of it an ooth; but also he schal take awei the stronge men of the lond,

Update Bible Version
and he took of the royal seed, and made a covenant with him; he also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land;

Webster's Bible Translation
And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath from him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:

New English Translation
He took one from the royal family, made a treaty with him, and put him under oath. He then took the leaders of the land

New King James Version
And he took the king's offspring, made a covenant with him, and put him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land,

New Living Translation
He made a treaty with a member of the royal family and forced him to take an oath of loyalty. He also exiled Israel's most influential leaders,

New Life Bible
He took one of the king's family and made an agreement with him. And he made him promise to keep it. He also took away the strong leaders of the land,

New Revised Standard
He took one of the royal offspring and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath (he had taken away the chief men of the land),

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yea took of the seed royal And solemnised with him a covenant, And brought him into an oath, Also the mighty ones of the land, did he take.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he shall take one of the king’s seed, and make a covenant with him, and take an oath of him. Yea, and he shall take away the mighty men of the land,

Revised Standard Version
And he took one of the seed royal and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. (The chief men of the land he had taken away,

Young's Literal Translation
And he taketh of the seed of the kingdom, And maketh with him a covenant, And bringeth him in to an oath, And the mighty of the land he hath taken,

Contextual Overview

¹ God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, make a riddle for the house of Israel. Tell them a story. Say, ‘ God , the Master, says: "‘A great eagle with a huge wingspan and long feathers, In full plumage and bright colors, came to Lebanon And took the top off a cedar, broke off the top branch, Took it to a land of traders, and set it down in a city of shopkeepers. Then he took a cutting from the land and planted it in good, well-watered soil, like a willow on a riverbank. It sprouted into a flourishing vine, low to the ground. Its branches grew toward the eagle and the roots became established— A vine putting out shoots, developing branches. ⁷"‘There was another great eagle with a huge wingspan and thickly feathered. This vine sent out its roots toward him from the place where it was planted. Its branches reached out to him so he could water it from a long distance. It had been planted in good, well-watered soil, And it put out branches and bore fruit, and became a noble vine. ⁹"‘ God , the Master, says, Will it thrive? Won't he just pull it up by the roots and leave the grapes to rot And the branches to shrivel up, a withered, dead vine? It won't take much strength or many hands to pull it up. Even if it's transplanted, will it thrive? When the hot east wind strikes it, won't it shrivel up? Won't it dry up and blow away from the place where it was planted?'" ¹¹ God 's Message came to me: "Tell this house of rebels, ‘Do you get it? Do you know what this means?' "Tell them, ‘The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took its king and its leaders back to Babylon. He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, making him swear his loyalty. The king of Babylon took all the top leaders into exile to make sure that this kingdom stayed weak—didn't get any big ideas of itself—and kept the covenant with him so that it would have a future. "‘But he rebelled and sent emissaries to Egypt to recruit horses and a big army. Do you think that's going to work? Are they going to get by with this? Does anyone break a covenant and get off scot-free? "‘As sure as I am the living God, this king who broke his pledge of loyalty and his covenant will die in that country, in Babylon. Pharaoh with his big army—all those soldiers!—won't lift a finger to fight for him when Babylon sets siege to the city and kills everyone inside. Because he broke his word and broke the covenant, even though he gave his solemn promise, because he went ahead and did all these things anyway, he won't escape. "‘Therefore, God , the Master, says, As sure as I am the living God, because the king despised my oath and broke my covenant, I'll bring the consequences crashing down on his head. I'll send out a search party and catch him. I'll take him to Babylon and have him brought to trial because of his total disregard for me. All his elite soldiers, along with the rest of the army, will be killed in battle, and whoever is left will be scattered to the four winds. Then you'll realize that I, God , have spoken. "‘ God , the Master, says, I personally will take a shoot from the top of the towering cedar, a cutting from the crown of the tree, and plant it on a high and towering mountain, on the high mountain of Israel. It will grow, putting out branches and fruit—a majestic cedar. Birds of every sort and kind will live under it. They'll build nests in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the field will recognize that I, God , made the great tree small and the small tree great, made the green tree turn dry and the dry tree sprout green branches. I, God , said it—and I did it.'" ¹³The Great Tree Is Made Small and the Small Tree Great God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, make a riddle for the house of Israel. Tell them a story. Say, ‘ God , the Master, says: "‘A great eagle with a huge wingspan and long feathers, In full plumage and bright colors, came to Lebanon And took the top off a cedar, broke off the top branch, Took it to a land of traders, and set it down in a city of shopkeepers. Then he took a cutting from the land and planted it in good, well-watered soil, like a willow on a riverbank. It sprouted into a flourishing vine, low to the ground. Its branches grew toward the eagle and the roots became established— A vine putting out shoots, developing branches. "‘There was another great eagle with a huge wingspan and thickly feathered. This vine sent out its roots toward him from the place where it was planted. Its branches reached out to him so he could water it from a long distance. It had been planted in good, well-watered soil, And it put out branches and bore fruit, and became a noble vine. "‘ God , the Master, says, Will it thrive? Won't he just pull it up by the roots and leave the grapes to rot And the branches to shrivel up, a withered, dead vine? It won't take much strength or many hands to pull it up. Even if it's transplanted, will it thrive? When the hot east wind strikes it, won't it shrivel up? Won't it dry up and blow away from the place where it was planted?'" God 's Message came to me: "Tell this house of rebels, ‘Do you get it? Do you know what this means?' "Tell them, ‘The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took its king and its leaders back to Babylon. He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, making him swear his loyalty. The king of Babylon took all the top leaders into exile to make sure that this kingdom stayed weak—didn't get any big ideas of itself—and kept the covenant with him so that it would have a future. "‘But he rebelled and sent emissaries to Egypt to recruit horses and a big army. Do you think that's going to work? Are they going to get by with this? Does anyone break a covenant and get off scot-free? "‘As sure as I am the living God, this king who broke his pledge of loyalty and his covenant will die in that country, in Babylon. Pharaoh with his big army—all those soldiers!—won't lift a finger to fight for him when Babylon sets siege to the city and kills everyone inside. Because he broke his word and broke the covenant, even though he gave his solemn promise, because he went ahead and did all these things anyway, he won't escape. "‘Therefore, God , the Master, says, As sure as I am the living God, because the king despised my oath and broke my covenant, I'll bring the consequences crashing down on his head. I'll send out a search party and catch him. I'll take him to Babylon and have him brought to trial because of his total disregard for me. All his elite soldiers, along with the rest of the army, will be killed in battle, and whoever is left will be scattered to the four winds. Then you'll realize that I, God , have spoken. "‘ God , the Master, says, I personally will take a shoot from the top of the towering cedar, a cutting from the crown of the tree, and plant it on a high and towering mountain, on the high mountain of Israel. It will grow, putting out branches and fruit—a majestic cedar. Birds of every sort and kind will live under it. They'll build nests in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the field will recognize that I, God , made the great tree small and the small tree great, made the green tree turn dry and the dry tree sprout green branches. I, God , said it—and I did it.'" ¹⁴The Great Tree Is Made Small and the Small Tree Great God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, make a riddle for the house of Israel. Tell them a story. Say, ‘ God , the Master, says: "‘A great eagle with a huge wingspan and long feathers, In full plumage and bright colors, came to Lebanon And took the top off a cedar, broke off the top branch, Took it to a land of traders, and set it down in a city of shopkeepers. Then he took a cutting from the land and planted it in good, well-watered soil, like a willow on a riverbank. It sprouted into a flourishing vine, low to the ground. Its branches grew toward the eagle and the roots became established— A vine putting out shoots, developing branches. "‘There was another great eagle with a huge wingspan and thickly feathered. This vine sent out its roots toward him from the place where it was planted. Its branches reached out to him so he could water it from a long distance. It had been planted in good, well-watered soil, And it put out branches and bore fruit, and became a noble vine. "‘ God , the Master, says, Will it thrive? Won't he just pull it up by the roots and leave the grapes to rot And the branches to shrivel up, a withered, dead vine? It won't take much strength or many hands to pull it up. Even if it's transplanted, will it thrive? When the hot east wind strikes it, won't it shrivel up? Won't it dry up and blow away from the place where it was planted?'" God 's Message came to me: "Tell this house of rebels, ‘Do you get it? Do you know what this means?' "Tell them, ‘The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took its king and its leaders back to Babylon. He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, making him swear his loyalty. The king of Babylon took all the top leaders into exile to make sure that this kingdom stayed weak—didn't get any big ideas of itself—and kept the covenant with him so that it would have a future. ¹⁵ "‘But he rebelled and sent emissaries to Egypt to recruit horses and a big army. Do you think that's going to work? Are they going to get by with this? Does anyone break a covenant and get off scot-free? ¹⁶"‘As sure as I am the living God, this king who broke his pledge of loyalty and his covenant will die in that country, in Babylon. Pharaoh with his big army—all those soldiers!—won't lift a finger to fight for him when Babylon sets siege to the city and kills everyone inside. Because he broke his word and broke the covenant, even though he gave his solemn promise, because he went ahead and did all these things anyway, he won't escape. ¹⁹"‘Therefore, God , the Master, says, As sure as I am the living God, because the king despised my oath and broke my covenant, I'll bring the consequences crashing down on his head. I'll send out a search party and catch him. I'll take him to Babylon and have him brought to trial because of his total disregard for me. All his elite soldiers, along with the rest of the army, will be killed in battle, and whoever is left will be scattered to the four winds. Then you'll realize that I, God , have spoken.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

hath taken: Ezekiel 17:5, 2 Kings 24:17, Jeremiah 37:1

taken an oath of him: Heb. brought him to an oath, 2 Chronicles 36:13, Jeremiah 5:2

he hath also: 2 Kings 24:15, 2 Kings 24:16, Jeremiah 24:1, Jeremiah 29:2

Reciprocal: Genesis 21:27 - made Joshua 6:22 - as ye sware unto her 1 Samuel 11:1 - Make 1 Samuel 30:15 - Swear 1 Kings 15:19 - break thy league 2 Kings 17:4 - found conspiracy Ezra 4:19 - and it is found Ecclesiastes 8:2 - in regard Jeremiah 32:4 - General Jeremiah 41:1 - seed Ezekiel 12:10 - prince Ezekiel 16:59 - which Ezekiel 21:23 - to them that have sworn oaths Daniel 11:23 - work Hosea 10:4 - swearing Zechariah 5:3 - sweareth

Cross-References

Genesis 37:36
In Egypt the Midianites sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, manager of his household affairs.

Genesis 39:1
After Joseph had been taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelites, Potiphar an Egyptian, one of Pharaoh's officials and the manager of his household, bought him from them.

Exodus 21:2
"When you buy a Hebrew slave, he will serve six years. The seventh year he goes free, for nothing. If he came in single he leaves single. If he came in married he leaves with his wife. If the master gives him a wife and she gave him sons and daughters, the wife and children stay with the master and he leaves by himself. But suppose the slave should say, ‘I love my master and my wife and children—I don't want my freedom,' then his master is to bring him before God and to a door or doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl, a sign that he is a slave for life.

Exodus 21:16
"If someone kidnaps a person, the penalty is death, regardless of whether the person has been sold or is still held in possession.

Nehemiah 5:8
The "Great Protest" A great protest was mounted by the people, including the wives, against their fellow Jews. Some said, "We have big families, and we need food just to survive." Others said, "We're having to mortgage our fields and vineyards and homes to get enough grain to keep from starving." And others said, "We're having to borrow money to pay the royal tax on our fields and vineyards. Look: We're the same flesh and blood as our brothers here; our children are just as good as theirs. Yet here we are having to sell our children off as slaves—some of our daughters have already been sold—and we can't do anything about it because our fields and vineyards are owned by somebody else." I got really angry when I heard their protest and complaints. After thinking it over, I called the nobles and officials on the carpet. I said, "Each one of you is gouging his brother." Then I called a big meeting to deal with them. I told them, "We did everything we could to buy back our Jewish brothers who had to sell themselves as slaves to foreigners. And now you're selling these same brothers back into debt slavery! Does that mean that we have to buy them back again?" They said nothing. What could they say?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And hath taken of the king's seed,.... One of the royal family, signified by the seed of the land, Ezekiel 17:5. Mattaniah, son of King Josiah, and uncle to King Jeconiah; whom Nebuchadnezzar took and made king of Judea, and called him Zedekiah, which signifies the "justice of the Lord": to put him in mind of doing justly, by observing the covenant and oath after mentioned, or that he must expect vengeance:

and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him; he gave him the throne and kingdom upon certain conditions to be performed, and for the perform once of which he made him swear by the God of Israel; see 2 Chronicles 36:13;

he hath also taken the mighty of the land: or, "the rams of the land" x; the principal men of it for wisdom, riches, and valour, the princes and nobles of it; which he did, as to weaken the nation, that it might not be so capable of rebelling against him, so to be hostages for the performance of the covenant entered into; and this is meant by planting the seed with circumspection, Ezekiel 17:5.

x אילי הארץ "arietes terrae", Montanus.