The Parable Explained

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 12 “Now say to this rebellious house:‘Do you not know what these [things] [mean]?’

Tell [them],‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, carried off its king and officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon. 13 He took a member of the royal family[fn] and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land, 14 so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to lift itself up, surviving [only] by keeping his covenant.

15 

But this [king] rebelled against [Babylon] by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’

16 

‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD,‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. 17 Pharaoh with [his] mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives. 18 He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Seeing that he gave his hand in pledge yet did all these [things], he will not escape!’

19 

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says:‘As surely as I live, I will bring down upon his head My oath that he despised and My covenant that he broke. 20 I will spread My net over him and catch him in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment upon him there for the treason he committed against Me. 21 All his choice troops[fn] will fall by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.’

22 

This is what the Lord GOD says:

‘I will take a shoot from the lofty top of the cedar,

and I will set [it] out.

I will pluck a tender sprig from its topmost shoots,

and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.

23 

I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel

so that it will bear branches;

it will yield fruit

and become a majestic cedar.

Birds of every kind will nest under it,

taking shelter in the shade of its branches.

24 

Then all the trees of the field will know

that I am the LORD.

I bring the tall tree {down}

and make the low tree tall.

I dry up the green tree

and make the withered tree flourish.

I, the LORD, have spoken,

and I have done [it].’ ” 18