17
1Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, tell a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel; 3and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “A great eagle with great wings and long feathers, full of feathers which had various colors, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar. 4He cropped off the topmost of its young twigs, and carried it to a land of traffic. He planted it in a city of merchants.
5“‘“He also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fruitful soil. He placed it beside many waters. He set it as a willow tree. 6It grew and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him. So it became a vine, produced branches, and shot out sprigs.
7“‘“There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers. Behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, and shot out its branches toward him, from the ground where it was planted, that he might water it. 8It was planted in a good soil by many waters, that it might produce branches and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a good vine.”’
9“Say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Will it prosper? Won’t he pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, that it may wither, that all its fresh springing leaves may wither? It can’t be raised from its roots by a strong arm or many people. 10Yes, behold, being planted, will it prosper? Won’t it utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the ground where it grew.”’”
11Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 12“Say now to the rebellious house, ‘Don’t you know what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took its king, and its princes, and brought them to him to Babylon. 13He took one of the royal offspring, and made a covenant with him. He also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land, 14that the kingdom might be brought low, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand. 15But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the covenant, and still escape?
16“‘As I live,’ says the Lord Yahweh, ‘surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the middle of Babylon he will die. 17Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company won’t help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts to cut off many persons. 18For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things. He won’t escape.
19“Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: ‘As I live, I will surely bring on his own head my oath that he has despised and my covenant that he has broken. 20I will spread my net on him, and he will be taken in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, and will enter into judgment with him there for his trespass that he has trespassed against me. 21All his fugitives in all his bands will fall by the sword, and those who remain will be scattered toward every wind. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken it.’
22“The Lord Yahweh says: ‘I will also take some of the lofty top of the cedar, and will plant it. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23I will plant it in the mountain of the height of Israel; and it will produce boughs, and bear fruit, and be a good cedar. Birds of every kind will dwell in the shade of its branches. 24All the trees of the field will know that I, Yahweh, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish.
“‘I, Yahweh, have spoken and have done it.’”
18
1Yahweh’s word came to me again, saying, 2“What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying,
‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3“As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “you shall not use this proverb any more in Israel. 4Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.
5“But if a man is just,
and does that which is lawful and right,
6and has not eaten on the mountains,
hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife,
hasn’t come near a woman in her impurity,
7and has not wronged any,
but has restored to the debtor his pledge,
has taken nothing by robbery,
has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
8he who hasn’t lent to them with interest,
hasn’t taken any increase from them,
who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity,
has executed true justice between man and man,
9has walked in my statutes,
and has kept my ordinances,
to deal truly;
he is just,
he shall surely live,” says the Lord Yahweh.
10“If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things, 11or who does not do any of those things
but has eaten at the mountain shrines
and defiled his neighbor’s wife,
12has wronged the poor and needy,
has taken by robbery,
has not restored the pledge,
and has lifted up his eyes to the idols,
has committed abomination,
13has lent with interest,
and has taken increase from the poor,
shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him.
14“Now, behold, if he fathers a son who sees all his father’s sins which he has done, and fears, and doesn’t do likewise,
15who hasn’t eaten on the mountains,
hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife,
16hasn’t wronged any,
hasn’t taken anything to pledge,
hasn’t taken by robbery,
but has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
17who has withdrawn his hand from the poor,
who hasn’t received interest or increase,
has executed my ordinances,
has walked in my statutes;
he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live. 18As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.
19“Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live. 20The soul who sins, he shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.
21“But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die. 22None of his transgressions that he has committed will be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live. 23Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord Yahweh, “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
24“But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.
25“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal? 26When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it, then he dies in his iniquity that he has done. 27Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive. 28Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die. 29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
30“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity will not be your ruin. 31Cast away from you all your transgressions in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, house of Israel? 32For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Therefore turn yourselves, and live!
19
1“Moreover, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, 2and say,
‘What was your mother?
A lioness.
She couched among lions,
in the middle of the young lions she nourished her cubs.
3She brought up one of her cubs.
He became a young lion.
He learned to catch the prey.
He devoured men.
4The nations also heard of him.
He was taken in their pit;
and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.
5“‘Now when she saw that she had waited,
and her hope was lost,
then she took another of her cubs,
and made him a young lion.
6He went up and down among the lions.
He became a young lion.
He learned to catch the prey.
He devoured men.
7He knew their palaces,
and laid waste their cities.
The land was desolate with its fullness,
because of the noise of his roaring.
8Then the nations attacked him on every side from the provinces.
They spread their net over him.
He was taken in their pit.
9They put him in a cage with hooks,
and brought him to the king of Babylon.
They brought him into strongholds,
so that his voice should no more be heard on the mountains of Israel.
10“‘Your mother was like a vine in your blood, planted by the waters.
It was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.
11It had strong branches for the scepters of those who ruled.
Their stature was exalted among the thick boughs.
They were seen in their height
with the multitude of their branches.
12But it was plucked up in fury.
It was cast down to the ground,
and the east wind dried up its fruit.
Its strong branches were broken off and withered.
The fire consumed them.
13Now it is planted in the wilderness,
in a dry and thirsty land.
14Fire has gone out of its branches.
It has devoured its fruit,
so that there is in it no strong branch to be a scepter to rule.’
This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.”
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17
1Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, tell a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel; 3and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “A great eagle with great wings and long feathers, full of feathers which had various colors, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar. 4He cropped off the topmost of its young twigs, and carried it to a land of traffic. He planted it in a city of merchants.
5“‘“He also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fruitful soil. He placed it beside many waters. He set it as a willow tree. 6It grew and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him. So it became a vine, produced branches, and shot out sprigs.
7“‘“There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers. Behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, and shot out its branches toward him, from the ground where it was planted, that he might water it. 8It was planted in a good soil by many waters, that it might produce branches and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a good vine.”’
9“Say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Will it prosper? Won’t he pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, that it may wither, that all its fresh springing leaves may wither? It can’t be raised from its roots by a strong arm or many people. 10Yes, behold, being planted, will it prosper? Won’t it utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the ground where it grew.”’”
11Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 12“Say now to the rebellious house, ‘Don’t you know what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took its king, and its princes, and brought them to him to Babylon. 13He took one of the royal offspring, and made a covenant with him. He also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land, 14that the kingdom might be brought low, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand. 15But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the covenant, and still escape?
16“‘As I live,’ says the Lord Yahweh, ‘surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the middle of Babylon he will die. 17Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company won’t help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts to cut off many persons. 18For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things. He won’t escape.
19“Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: ‘As I live, I will surely bring on his own head my oath that he has despised and my covenant that he has broken. 20I will spread my net on him, and he will be taken in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, and will enter into judgment with him there for his trespass that he has trespassed against me. 21All his fugitives in all his bands will fall by the sword, and those who remain will be scattered toward every wind. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken it.’
22“The Lord Yahweh says: ‘I will also take some of the lofty top of the cedar, and will plant it. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23I will plant it in the mountain of the height of Israel; and it will produce boughs, and bear fruit, and be a good cedar. Birds of every kind will dwell in the shade of its branches. 24All the trees of the field will know that I, Yahweh, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish.
“‘I, Yahweh, have spoken and have done it.’”
18
1Yahweh’s word came to me again, saying, 2“What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying,
‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3“As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “you shall not use this proverb any more in Israel. 4Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.
5“But if a man is just,
and does that which is lawful and right,
6and has not eaten on the mountains,
hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife,
hasn’t come near a woman in her impurity,
7and has not wronged any,
but has restored to the debtor his pledge,
has taken nothing by robbery,
has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
8he who hasn’t lent to them with interest,
hasn’t taken any increase from them,
who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity,
has executed true justice between man and man,
9has walked in my statutes,
and has kept my ordinances,
to deal truly;
he is just,
he shall surely live,” says the Lord Yahweh.
10“If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things, 11or who does not do any of those things
but has eaten at the mountain shrines
and defiled his neighbor’s wife,
12has wronged the poor and needy,
has taken by robbery,
has not restored the pledge,
and has lifted up his eyes to the idols,
has committed abomination,
13has lent with interest,
and has taken increase from the poor,
shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him.
14“Now, behold, if he fathers a son who sees all his father’s sins which he has done, and fears, and doesn’t do likewise,
15who hasn’t eaten on the mountains,
hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife,
16hasn’t wronged any,
hasn’t taken anything to pledge,
hasn’t taken by robbery,
but has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
17who has withdrawn his hand from the poor,
who hasn’t received interest or increase,
has executed my ordinances,
has walked in my statutes;
he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live. 18As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.
19“Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live. 20The soul who sins, he shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.
21“But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die. 22None of his transgressions that he has committed will be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live. 23Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord Yahweh, “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
24“But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.
25“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal? 26When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it, then he dies in his iniquity that he has done. 27Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive. 28Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die. 29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
30“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity will not be your ruin. 31Cast away from you all your transgressions in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, house of Israel? 32For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Therefore turn yourselves, and live!
19
1“Moreover, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, 2and say,
‘What was your mother?
A lioness.
She couched among lions,
in the middle of the young lions she nourished her cubs.
3She brought up one of her cubs.
He became a young lion.
He learned to catch the prey.
He devoured men.
4The nations also heard of him.
He was taken in their pit;
and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.
5“‘Now when she saw that she had waited,
and her hope was lost,
then she took another of her cubs,
and made him a young lion.
6He went up and down among the lions.
He became a young lion.
He learned to catch the prey.
He devoured men.
7He knew their palaces,
and laid waste their cities.
The land was desolate with its fullness,
because of the noise of his roaring.
8Then the nations attacked him on every side from the provinces.
They spread their net over him.
He was taken in their pit.
9They put him in a cage with hooks,
and brought him to the king of Babylon.
They brought him into strongholds,
so that his voice should no more be heard on the mountains of Israel.
10“‘Your mother was like a vine in your blood, planted by the waters.
It was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.
11It had strong branches for the scepters of those who ruled.
Their stature was exalted among the thick boughs.
They were seen in their height
with the multitude of their branches.
12But it was plucked up in fury.
It was cast down to the ground,
and the east wind dried up its fruit.
Its strong branches were broken off and withered.
The fire consumed them.
13Now it is planted in the wilderness,
in a dry and thirsty land.
14Fire has gone out of its branches.
It has devoured its fruit,
so that there is in it no strong branch to be a scepter to rule.’
This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.”
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