Ezekiel 17–19: The Soul Who Sins Is the One Who Will Die": Two Eagles, a Riddle, and a Lament

Scripture: Berean Standard Bible

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel 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 Lebanonand took away the top of the cedar.He plucked off its topmost shoot,carried it to the land of merchants,and planted it in a city of traders.He took some of the seed of the landand planted it in fertile soil;he placed it by abundant watersand set it out like a willow.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 branchesand sent out shoots.

But there was another great eaglewith 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 soilby abundant watersin order to yield branches and bear fruitand become a splendid vine.’

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 fruitso that it shrivels?All its foliage will wither!It will not take a strong arm or many peopleto pull it up by its roots.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.’ ”

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “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. 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, so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to lift itself up, surviving only by keeping his covenant.

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?’

‘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. 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. 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!’

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. 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. 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.’

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.I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israelso that it will bear branches;it will yield fruitand 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 knowthat I am the LORD.I bring the tall tree downand make the low tree tall.I dry up the green treeand make the withered tree flourish.I, the LORD, have spoken,and I have done it.’ ”

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,and the teeth of the children are set on edge’?

As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. Behold, every soul belongs to me; both father and son are mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:

He does not eat at the mountainor look to the idols of the house of Israel.He does not defile his neighbor’s wifeor approach a woman during her period.He does not oppress another,but restores the pledge to the debtor.He does not commit robbery,but gives his bread to the hungryand covers the naked with clothing.He does not engage in usuryor take excess interest,but he withholds his hand from iniquityand executes true justice between men.He follows my statutesand faithfully keeps my ordinances.That man is righteous;surely he will live,declares the Lord GOD.

Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things, though the father has done none of them:

Indeed, the son eats at the mountainand defiles his neighbor’s wife.He oppresses the poor and needy;he commits robberyand does not restore a pledge.He lifts his eyes to idols;he commits abominations.He engages in usuryand takes excess interest.

Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.

Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise:

He does not eat at the mountainor look to the idols of the house of Israel.He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.He does not oppress another,or retain a pledge, or commit robbery.He gives his bread to the hungryand covers the naked with clothing.He withholds his hand from harming the poorand takes no interest or usury.He keeps my ordinancesand follows my statutes.

Such a man will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live.

As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people.

Yet you may ask, ‘Why shouldn’t the son bear the iniquity of his father?’

Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all my statutes, he will surely live.

The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.

But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all my statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?

But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.

Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’

Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it my way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.

But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.

Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’

Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?

For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!

“As for you, take up a lament for the princes of Israel and say:

‘What was your mother?A lioness among the lions!She lay down among the young lions;she reared her cubs.She brought up one of her cubs,and he became a young lion.After learning to tear his prey,he devoured men.When the nations heard of him,he was trapped in their pit.With hooks they led him awayto the land of Egypt.

When she saw that she had waited in vain,that her hope was lost,she took another of her cubsand made him a young lion.He prowled among the lions,and became a young lion.After learning to tear his prey,he devoured men.He broke down their strongholdsand devastated their cities.The land and everything in itshuddered at the sound of his roaring.

Then the nations set out against himfrom the provinces on every side.They spread their net over him;he was trapped in their pit.With hooks they caged himand brought him to the king of Babylon.They brought him into captivityso that his roar was heard no longeron the mountains of Israel.

Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard,planted by the water;it was fruitful and full of branchesbecause of the abundant waters.It had strong branches, fit for a ruler’s scepter.It towered high above the thick branches,conspicuous for its heightand for its dense foliage.

But it was uprooted in fury,cast down to the ground,and the east wind dried up its fruit.Its strong branches were stripped offand they withered;the fire consumed them.

Now it is planted in the wilderness,in a dry and thirsty land.Fire has gone out from its main branchand devoured its fruit;on it no strong branch remainsfit for a ruler’s scepter.’

This is a lament and shall be used as a lament.”