Ezekiel 17:4
“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.”
Ezekiel 17:4 in 7 translations
- KJVKing James Version
- 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.
- DRADouay–Rheims
- He cropped off the top of the twigs thereof: and carried it away into the land of Chanaan, and he set it in a city of merchants.
- ASVAmerican Standard Version
- he cropped off the topmost of the young twigs thereof, and carried it unto a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants.
- DARBYDarby
- He cropped off the top of its young shoots, and carried it into a merchants' land; he set it in a city of traders.
- WEBThe World English Bible
- he cropped off the topmost of the young twigs of it, and carried it to a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants.
- YLTYoung's Literal Translation
- The top of its tender twigs it hath cropped, And it bringeth it in to the land of Canaan. In a city of merchants it hath placed it.
- BPVBiblePics Version
- He cut off the top of its young twigs and carried it to a land of trade; he set it in a city of merchants.
Context: Ezekiel 17
2Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
3And 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:
4He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.
5He 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.
6And 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.
About Ezekiel 17: Parable of the Two Eagles and the Vine
In Ezekiel chapter 17, God uses the parable of two eagles and a vine to judge and condemn the leadership of Judah for their faithlessness and disobedience. The first eagle represents Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who takes a small branch from Judah and plants it in his own garden. The second eagle represents Egypt, who tries to revive the vine by offering protection, but fails. Ultimately, God promises to take matters into his own hands and restore the kingdom of Judah.
Commentary
The parable of two eagles and a vine is a powerful allegory that demonstrates God's sovereignty over all nations and kingdoms. It shows that even the mightiest empires are ultimately subject to God's judgment and control. The chapter also highlights the role of leaders in shaping the destiny of nations. Just as the leaders of Judah were held responsible for their disobedience, today's leaders must also be held accountable for their actions. Finally, the chapter offers hope that God will ultimately fulfill his promises to his people, no matter how dire their circumstances may seem.