Two Eagles, a Vine, and a Promise.

וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

The word of the Lord came to me:

בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם ח֥וּד חִידָ֖ה וּמְשֹׁ֣ל מָשָׁ֑ל אֶל־בֵּ֖ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[2] “Son of man, propound a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;

וְאָמַרְתָּ֞ כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הַנֶּ֤שֶׁר הַגָּדוֹל֙ גְּד֤וֹל הַכְּנָפַ֙יִם֙ אֶ֣רֶךְ הָאֵ֔בֶר מָלֵא֙ הַנּוֹצָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־ל֖וֹ הָֽרִקְמָ֑ה בָּ֚א אֶל־הַלְּבָנ֔וֹן וַיִּקַּ֖ח אֶת־צַמֶּ֥רֶת הָאָֽרֶז׃

[3] say, Thus says the Lord God : A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, rich in plumage of many colors, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.

אֵ֛ת רֹ֥אשׁ יְנִֽיקוֹתָ֖יו קָטָ֑ף וַיְבִיאֵ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן בְּעִ֥יר רֹכְלִ֖ים שָׂמֽוֹ׃

[4] He broke off the topmost of its young twigs and carried it to a land of trade and set it in a city of merchants.

וַיִּקַּח֙ מִזֶּ֣רַע הָאָ֔רֶץ וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֖הוּ בִּשְׂדֵה־זָ֑רַע קָ֚ח עַל־מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים צַפְצָפָ֖ה שָׂמֽוֹ׃

[5] Then he took of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside abundant waters. He set it like a willow twig,

וַיִּצְמַ֡ח וַיְהִי֩ לְגֶ֨פֶן סֹרַ֜חַת שִׁפְלַ֣ת קוֹמָ֗ה לִפְנ֤וֹת דָּלִיּוֹתָיו֙ אֵלָ֔יו וְשָׁרָשָׁ֖יו תַּחְתָּ֣יו יִֽהְי֑וּ וַתְּהִ֣י לְגֶ֔פֶן וַתַּ֣עַשׂ בַּדִּ֔ים וַתְּשַׁלַּ֖ח פֹּארֽוֹת׃

[6] and it sprouted and became a low spreading vine, and its branches turned toward him, and its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out boughs.

וַיְהִ֤י נֶֽשֶׁר־אֶחָד֙ גָּד֔וֹל גְּד֥וֹל כְּנָפַ֖יִם וְרַב־נוֹצָ֑ה וְהִנֵּה֩ הַגֶּ֨פֶן הַזֹּ֜את כָּֽפְנָ֧ה שָׁרֳשֶׁ֣יהָ עָלָ֗יו וְדָֽלִיּוֹתָיו֙ שִׁלְחָה־לּ֔וֹ לְהַשְׁק֣וֹת אוֹתָ֔הּ מֵעֲרֻג֖וֹת מַטָּעָֽהּ׃

[7] “And there was another great eagle with great wings and much plumage, and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and shot forth its branches toward him from the bed where it was planted, that he might water it.

אֶל־שָׂ֥דֶה טּ֛וֹב אֶל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּ֖ים הִ֣יא שְׁתוּלָ֑ה לַעֲשׂ֤וֹת עָנָף֙ וְלָשֵׂ֣את פֶּ֔רִי לִהְי֖וֹת לְגֶ֥פֶן אַדָּֽרֶת׃ ס

[8] It had been planted on good soil by abundant waters, that it might produce branches and bear fruit and become a noble vine.

אֱמֹ֗ר כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֹ֖ה תִּצְלָ֑ח הֲלוֹא֩ אֶת־שָׁרָשֶׁ֨יהָ יְנַתֵּ֜ק וְאֶת־פִּרְיָ֣הּ׀ יְקוֹסֵ֣ס וְיָבֵ֗שׁ כָּל־טַרְפֵּ֤י צִמְחָהּ֙ תִּיבָ֔שׁ וְלֹֽא־בִזְרֹ֤עַ גְּדוֹלָה֙ וּבְעַם־רָ֔ב לְמַשְׂא֥וֹת אוֹתָ֖הּ מִשָּׁרָשֶֽׁיהָ׃

[9] “Say, Thus says the Lord God : Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, so that it withers, so that all its fresh sprouting leaves wither? It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it from its roots.

וְהִנֵּ֥ה שְׁתוּלָ֖ה הֲתִצְלָ֑ח הֲלוֹא֩ כְגַ֨עַת בָּ֜הּ ר֤וּחַ הַקָּדִים֙ תִּיבַ֣שׁ יָבֹ֔שׁ עַל־עֲרֻגֹ֥ת צִמְחָ֖הּ תִּיבָֽשׁ׃ פ

[10] Behold, it is planted; will it thrive? Will it not utterly wither when the east wind strikes it—wither away on the bed where it sprouted?”

וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

[11] Then the word of the Lord came to me:

אֱמָר־נָא֙ לְבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֔רִי הֲלֹ֥א יְדַעְתֶּ֖ם מָה־אֵ֑לֶּה אֱמֹ֗ר הִנֵּה־בָ֨א מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֤ל יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־מַלְכָּהּ֙ וְאֶת־שָׂרֶ֔יהָ וַיָּבֵ֥א אוֹתָ֛ם אֵלָ֖יו בָּבֶֽלָה׃

[12] “Say now to the rebellious house, Do you not know what these things mean? Tell them, behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took her king and her princes and brought them to him to Babylon.

וַיִּקַּח֙ מִזֶּ֣רַע הַמְּלוּכָ֔ה וַיִּכְרֹ֥ת אִתּ֖וֹ בְּרִ֑ית וַיָּבֵ֤א אֹתוֹ֙ בְּאָלָ֔ה וְאֶת־אֵילֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ לָקָֽח׃

[13] 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),

לִֽהְיוֹת֙ מַמְלָכָ֣ה שְׁפָלָ֔ה לְבִלְתִּ֖י הִתְנַשֵּׂ֑א לִשְׁמֹ֥ר אֶת־בְּרִית֖וֹ לְעָמְדָֽהּ׃

[14] that the kingdom might be humble and not lift itself up, and keep his covenant that it might stand.

וַיִּמְרָד־בּ֗וֹ לִשְׁלֹ֤חַ מַלְאָכָיו֙ מִצְרַ֔יִם לָֽתֶת־ל֥וֹ סוּסִ֖ים וְעַם־רָ֑ב הֲיִצְלָ֤ח הֲיִמָּלֵט֙ הָעֹשֵׂ֣ה אֵ֔לֶּה וְהֵפֵ֥ר בְּרִ֖ית וְנִמְלָֽט׃

[15] But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he thrive? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape?

חַי־אָ֗נִי נְאֻם֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֒ אִם־לֹ֗א בִּמְקוֹם֙ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הַמַּמְלִ֣יךְ אֹת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּזָה֙ אֶת־אָ֣לָת֔וֹ וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵפֵ֖ר אֶת־בְּרִית֑וֹ אִתּ֥וֹ בְתוֹךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל יָמֽוּת׃

[16] “As I live, declares the Lord God , surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant with him he broke, in Babylon he shall die.

וְלֹא֩ בְחַ֨יִל גָּד֜וֹל וּבְקָהָ֣ל רָ֗ב יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה אוֹת֤וֹ פַרְעֹה֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה בִּשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ סֹלְלָ֖ה וּבִבְנ֣וֹת דָּיֵ֑ק לְהַכְרִ֖ית נְפָשׁ֥וֹת רַבּֽוֹת׃

[17] Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in war, when mounds are cast up and siege walls built to cut off many lives.

וּבָזָ֥ה אָלָ֖ה לְהָפֵ֣ר בְּרִ֑ית וְהִנֵּ֨ה נָתַ֥ן יָד֛וֹ וְכָל־אֵ֥לֶּה עָשָׂ֖ה לֹ֥א יִמָּלֵֽט׃ ס

[18] He despised the oath in breaking the covenant, and behold, he gave his hand and did all these things; he shall not escape.

לָכֵ֞ן כֹּה־אָמַ֨ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֮ חַי־אָנִי֒ אִם־לֹ֗א אָֽלָתִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּזָ֔ה וּבְרִיתִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֵפִ֑יר וּנְתַתִּ֖יו בְּרֹאשֽׁוֹ׃

[19] Therefore thus says the Lord God : As I live, surely it is my oath that he despised, and my covenant that he broke. I will return it upon his head.

וּפָרַשְׂתִּ֤י עָלָיו֙ רִשְׁתִּ֔י וְנִתְפַּ֖שׂ בִּמְצֽוּדָתִ֑י וַהֲבִיאוֹתִ֣יהוּ בָבֶ֗לָה וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּ֤י אִתּוֹ֙ שָׁ֔ם מַעֲל֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָֽעַל־בִּֽי׃

[20] I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon and enter into judgment with him there for the treachery he has committed against me.

וְאֵ֨ת ׳כָּל־מִבְרָחוֹ׳ ״כָּל־מִבְרָחָ֤יו״ בְּכָל־אֲגַפָּיו֙ בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֔לוּ וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִ֖ים לְכָל־ר֣וּחַ יִפָּרֵ֑שׂוּ וִידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃ ס

[21] And all the pick of his troops shall fall by the sword, and the survivors shall be scattered to every wind, and you shall know that I am the Lord ; I have spoken.”

כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה וְלָקַ֣חְתִּי אָ֗נִי מִצַּמֶּ֧רֶת הָאֶ֛רֶז הָרָמָ֖ה וְנָתָ֑תִּי מֵרֹ֤אשׁ יֹֽנְקוֹתָיו֙ רַ֣ךְ אֶקְטֹ֔ף וְשָׁתַ֣לְתִּי אָ֔נִי עַ֥ל הַר־גָּבֹ֖הַ וְתָלֽוּל׃

[22] Thus says the Lord God : “I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.

בְּהַ֨ר מְר֤וֹם יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶשְׁתֳּלֶ֔נּוּ וְנָשָׂ֤א עָנָף֙ וְעָ֣שָׂה פֶ֔רִי וְהָיָ֖ה לְאֶ֣רֶז אַדִּ֑יר וְשָׁכְנ֣וּ תַחְתָּ֗יו כֹּ֚ל צִפּ֣וֹר כָּל־כָּנָ֔ף בְּצֵ֥ל דָּלִיּוֹתָ֖יו תִּשְׁכֹּֽנָּה׃

[23] On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest.

וְֽיָדְע֞וּ כָּל־עֲצֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ הִשְׁפַּ֣לְתִּי׀ עֵ֣ץ גָּבֹ֗הַ הִגְבַּ֙הְתִּי֙ עֵ֣ץ שָׁפָ֔ל הוֹבַ֙שְׁתִּי֙ עֵ֣ץ לָ֔ח וְהִפְרַ֖חְתִּי עֵ֣ץ יָבֵ֑שׁ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי וְעָשִֽׂיתִי׃ פ

[24] And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord ; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord ; I have spoken, and I will do it.”