“‘“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.
Parallel translations
- KJV He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.
- BSB He took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil; he placed it by abundant waters and set it out like a willow.
- NKJV Then he took some of the seed of the land And planted it in a fertile field; He placed it by abundant waters And set it like a willow tree.
- NASB He also took from the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil, a meadow beside abundant waters; he set it like a willow.
- NLT He also took a seedling from the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside a broad river, where it could grow like a willow tree.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The eagle plants seed from the land in fertile soil like a willow, picturing Zedekiah set up as a vassal king. God permits even subjugation to serve His ends.
Overview
This 'seed of the land' is Zedekiah, installed by Babylon as a dependent king in Judah (2 Kings 24:17). Planted by 'many waters,' he is given conditions to thrive if he remains loyal. The image sets up the test of whether Judah will accept God-ordained discipline or rebel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Deut 8:7–9For Yahweh your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of springs, and underground water flowing into valleys and hills;
- Isa 44:4and they will spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.
- Isa 15:7Therefore they will carry away the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have stored up, over the brook of the willows.
- 2 Kgs 24:17The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s father’s brother, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
- Ezek 19:11–12It had strong rods for the scepters of those who bore rule, and their stature was exalted among the thick boughs, and they were seen in their height with the multitude of their branches.
- Ezek 17:13He took some 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;
- Jer 37:1Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king, instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
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Original language
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