Yechezkel 17 | The Great Eagle

Yechezkel presents a parable about the relationship between Tzidkiyahu and the king of Babylon. The eagle (the king of Babylon) took the crown of the cedar tree (the exile of Yehoyakhin — the nation’s leadership) and placed it in a city of merchants (Babylon). In its place, he took a seed from the land (Tzidkiyahu, from the royal lineage), planted it in a field ready for seeding, and nurtured it. The seed began to grow into a low sprawling vine, as intended, but then turned to another eagle (Egypt) and sought its help. The prophet poses a rhetorical question: "Will it thrive? Surely he will tear up its roots" (17:9). It is clear that the first eagle will avenge itself upon this weak seed and uproot it.

Tzidkiyahu was placed on the throne by Babylon, yet instead of showing gratitude, he rebelled. There are parallels between this chapter and the previous one: both depict the people of Yehuda as ungrateful. The foundling in Chapter 16 failed to remember the kindness God had shown her and betrayed Him, just as Tzidkiyahu, who had been appointed by the king of Babylon, and betrayed him. In both chapters, the prophet formulates the indictment in the same way: "He flouted the oath by breaking the covenant" (Yechezkel 17:18; see also 16:59). Tzidkiyahu flouted the oath he swore to the king of Babylon, violated the covenant, and rebelled — the consequence is a terrible destruction.

Chazal understood that Tzidkiyahu swore to the king of Babylon in God's name that he would not rebel, making his actions a great desecration of God's name (chillul Hashem). When God's name is invoked in an oath, excuses and justifications are irrelevant — one cannot simply break the vow, for God’s honor is at stake. Even without recognizing the religious dimension of this desecration, the condemnation of covenant-breakers is clear, especially in light of its comparison to the covenant with God. The same traits that lead a person to deny the kindness of an earthly king ultimately lead him to deny the kindness of God. The same desire for independence and rebellion against God is what also led to the desire to rebel against the king of Babylon.

This prophecy, like so many other prophecies, concludes with words of consolation: In the future, it will be God Himself, not any eagle, who will plant the next branch in the land of Israel. It is striking that in this vision of redemption, the top of the cedar will be replanted in the land, reinforcing a theme repeated throughout the book: the future and hope of Israel lie with Yehoyakhin in Babylon, not with Tzidkiyahu in Jerusalem.