The Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine
(Matthew 13:24–30)
Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel Ezk 20:49Mat 13:351Co 13:122Sa 12:1-4Ezk 24:3Hos 12:10Jdg 14:12-19Jdg 9:8-15 and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Hos 8:1Jer 48:40Dan 4:22Ezk 17:72Ch 36:9-102Ki 24:10-16Dan 2:38Dan 7:4
‘A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, 1
full of feathers of many colors,
came to Lebanon
and took away the top of the cedar.
He plucked off its topmost shoot, Isa 43:14Isa 47:15Jer 51:13Rev 18:11-19Rev 18:3
carried it to the land of merchants,
and planted it in a city of traders.
He took some of the seed of the land Deu 8:7-9Isa 44:42Ki 24:17Ezk 17:13Ezk 19:11-12Isa 15:7Jer 37:1
and planted it in fertile soil; 2
he placed it by abundant waters
and set it out like a willow.
It sprouted and became a spreading vine, Ezk 17:14Pro 16:18-19
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.
But there was another great eagle Ezk 17:15Ezk 31:42Ch 26:132Ki 24:20Jer 37:5-7
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.
It had been planted in good soil Ezk 17:5-6
by abundant waters
in order to yield branches and bear fruit
and become a splendid vine.’
So you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Ezk 17:10Jer 32:52Ch 13:122Ch 20:202Ki 25:4-7Ezk 17:15-17Isa 30:1-7Isa 31:1-3
‘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.
Even if it is transplanted, Hos 13:15Ezk 19:12-14Hos 12:1Jhn 15:6Jud 1:12Mat 21:19Mrk 11:20
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
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Now say to this rebellious house: ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Ezk 24:19Ezk 1:2Ezk 17:32Ch 36:9-102Ki 24:10-16Act 8:30Deu 6:20Exo 12:26
Tell them, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, carried off its king and officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon. He took a member of the royal family 3and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land, 2Ch 36:132Ki 24:15-17Ezk 17:5Jer 24:1Jer 29:2Jer 37:1Jer 5:2 so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to lift itself up, surviving only by keeping his covenant. Ezk 29:141Sa 2:301Sa 2:7Deu 28:43Ezk 17:6Jer 27:12-17Jer 38:17Lam 5:10
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?’ 2Ch 36:132Ki 24:20Deu 17:16Ezk 17:7Jer 34:3Jer 38:18Jer 52:3Ezk 17:18
‘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. Ezk 12:13Jer 52:112Ki 24:172Sa 21:2Exo 20:7Exo 8:2Ezk 16:59Ezk 17:13 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. Jer 37:7Ezk 29:6-7Ezk 4:2Isa 36:6Jer 37:5Jer 33:5Jer 52:4Lam 4:17 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!’ 1Ch 29:242Ch 30:8Lam 5:6
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. Deu 5:11Jer 5:2Jer 5:9Ezk 21:23-27Jer 7:9-15 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. Ezk 12:13Ezk 20:35-36Ezk 32:3Jer 2:35Ezk 38:22Jer 39:5-72Ch 33:112Sa 18:9 All his choice troops 4will fall by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.’ 2Ki 25:112Ki 25:5Ezk 12:14Ezk 5:12Amo 9:1Amo 9:9-10Ezk 13:14Ezk 13:23
This is what the Lord GOD says: Ezk 20:40Isa 11:1-5Isa 53:2Psa 2:6Zec 6:12-13Ezk 40:2Jer 23:5-6Jer 33:15-16
‘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.
I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel Mat 13:32Ezk 31:6Isa 2:2Hos 14:7Jhn 15:5-8Dan 4:10-14Dan 4:21-23Isa 27:6
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.
Then all the trees of the field will know Amo 9:111Co 1:27-28Ezk 24:14Isa 26:5Luk 1:52-531Sa 2:7-8Ezk 12:25Ezk 21:26
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.’”