The Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine (Matthew 13:24–30)
1 WBS And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, BSB BSB: Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 WBS Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel; BSB BSB: “Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel
3 WBS 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: 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 WBS He cropped off the top of its young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants. BSB BSB: He plucked off its topmost shoot, carried it to the land of merchants, and planted it in a city of traders.
5 WBS He 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. 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 WBS And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned towards him, and its roots were under him: so 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 WBS There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and behold, this vine did bend her roots towards him, and shot forth her branches towards him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation. 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 WBS It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly 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 WBS Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it may wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or 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 WBS Yes, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows 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 WBS Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, BSB BSB: Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
12 WBS Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean ? tell them , Behold, the king of Babylon hath come to Jerusalem, and hath taken 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 WBS 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: 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 WBS That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand. BSB BSB: so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to lift itself up, surviving only by keeping his covenant.
15 WBS But he rebelled against him in sending his embassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things ? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered? 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 WBS As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall 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 WBS Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building 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 WBS Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when lo, he had given his hand, and hath 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 WBS Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely my oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even that will I recompense upon his own 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 WBS 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 plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed 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 WBS And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered towards all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it . 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 WBS Thus saith the Lord God, I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it ; I will crop off from the top of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon a high mountain and eminent: 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 WBS In the mountain of the hight of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shade of its branches 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 WBS And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done 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.’”