The Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine (Matthew 13:24–30)
1 DBY And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, BSB BSB: Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 DBY Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel, BSB BSB: “Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel
3 DBY 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. BSB BSB: 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.
4 DBY He cropped off the top of its young shoots, and carried it into a merchants' land; he set it in a city of traders. BSB BSB: He plucked off its topmost shoot, carried it to the land of merchants, and planted it in a city of traders.
5 DBY 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. BSB BSB: He took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil; he placed it by abundant waters and set it out like a willow.
6 DBY And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, so that its branches should turn toward him, and the roots thereof be under him; and it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs. BSB BSB: It sprouted and became a spreading vine, low in height, with branches turned toward him; yet its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and yielded branches and sent out shoots.
7 DBY And there was another great eagle with great wings and many feathers; and behold, from the beds of her plantation, this vine did bend her roots unto him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it. BSB BSB: But there was another great eagle with great wings and many feathers. And behold, this vine bent its roots toward him. It stretched out its branches to him from its planting bed, so that he might water it.
8 DBY It was planted in a good field by many waters, that it might bring forth branches and bear fruit, that it might be a noble vine. BSB BSB: It had been planted in good soil by abundant waters in order to yield branches and bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’
9 DBY Say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Shall it prosper? Shall he not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it may wither? All its fresh sprouting leaves shall wither, even without a great arm and many people to pluck it up by its roots. BSB BSB: So you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Will it flourish? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it shrivels? All its foliage will wither! It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by its roots.
10 DBY And behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither when the east wind toucheth it? It shall wither in the beds where it grew. BSB BSB: Even if it is transplanted, will it flourish? Will it not completely wither when the east wind strikes? It will wither on the bed where it sprouted.’”
The Parable Explained 11 DBY And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, BSB BSB: Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
12 DBY Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things are? Say, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took its king and its princes, and led them with him to Babylon. BSB BSB: “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 DBY 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; BSB BSB: 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,
14 DBY that the kingdom might be abased, that it might not lift itself up, that it might keep his covenant in order to stand. BSB BSB: so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to lift itself up, surviving only by keeping his covenant.
15 DBY But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? shall he break the covenant, and yet escape? BSB BSB: 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 DBY As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, verily in the place of the king that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him, in the midst of Babylon, shall he die.BSB BSB: ‘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 DBY Neither shall Pharaoh with a mighty army and a great assemblage do anything for him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts to cut off many persons. BSB BSB: 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 DBY He despised the oath, and broke the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, yet hath he done all these things: he shall not escape. BSB BSB: 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 DBY Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: As I live, verily, mine oath which he hath despised, and my covenant which he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his head. BSB BSB: 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 DBY And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon, and will enter into judgment with him there for his unfaithfulness in which he hath been unfaithful against me. BSB BSB: 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 DBY And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward every wind; and ye shall know that I Jehovah have spoken. BSB BSB: All his choice troops 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 DBY Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will also take of the highest branch of the lofty cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of its young shoots a tender one, and I will plant it upon a high and eminent mountain: BSB BSB: 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 DBY upon the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it; and it shall bring forth branches, and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar; and under it shall dwell all birds of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. BSB BSB: 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 DBY And all the trees of the field shall know that I Jehovah have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and made the dry tree to flourish: I Jehovah have spoken, and will do it . BSB BSB: 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.’”