Ezekiel 17:5-8

17:5 He took one of the seedlings ¹  of the land,

placed it in a cultivated plot; ² 

a shoot by abundant water,

like a willow he planted it.

17:6 It sprouted and became a vine,

spreading low to the ground; ³ 

its branches turning toward him, ⁴  its roots were under itself. ⁵ 

So it became a vine; it produced shoots and sent out branches.

17:7 “‘There was another great eagle ⁶ 

with broad wings and thick plumage.

Now this vine twisted its roots toward him

and sent its branches toward him

to be watered from the soil where it was planted.

17:8 In a good field, by abundant waters, it was planted

to grow branches, bear fruit, and become a beautiful vine.

[17:5]  ¹ tn Heb “took of the seed of the land.” For the vine imagery, “seedling” is a better translation, though in its subsequent interpretation the “seed” refers to Zedekiah through its common application to offspring.

[17:5]  ² tn Heb “a field for seed.”

[17:6]  ³ tn Heb “short of stature.”

[17:6]  ⁴ tn That is, the eagle.

[17:6]  ⁵ tn Or “him,” i.e., the eagle.

[17:7]  ⁶ sn The phrase another great eagle refers to Pharaoh Hophra.