The Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine
(Matthew 13:24–30)

1The worde of the Lord came vnto me, saying: 2Thou sonne of man, put foorth a parable, & speake a prouerbe vnto the house of Israel, 3And say, Thus saith the Lorde God: There came a great Egle, with great winges, yea with a mightie long body, and ful of fethers of diuers colours, vppon the mount of Libanus, and toke the hyest braunche of a Cedar tree. 4And brake of the top of his twigges, and caryed it into the lande of marchauntes, and set it in a citie of marchauntes. 5He toke also of the seede of the land, and planted it in a fruiteful grounde, he brought it vnto great waters, and set it in an open trenche. 6Then did it grow, and was a spreading vine, but lowe of stature, whose braunches turned towarde it, and the rootes of it were vnder it: thus there came of it a vine, and it brought foorth braunches, and shot foorth buddes.

7But there was another Egle, a great one, whiche had great wynges and many fethers: and beholde, the rootes of this vine turned towardes it, and spread out her braunches towards it, that she might water it by the trenches of her plantation. 8It was planted vpon a good soyle beside great waters, so that it should haue brought out braunches, & borne fruite, and haue ben a goodly vine. 9Speake thou therfore, thus saith the Lorde God: Shall this vine prosper? shall he not pull vp the rootes therof, and destroy the fruite thereof, and cause them to dry? all the leaues of her bud shall wither without great power, or many people, to plucke it vp by the rootes thereof. 10Behold, it was planted: Shall it prosper therfore? Shall it not be dryed vp and withered? when the east winde shall touche it, it shall wither in the trenches where it grewe.

The Parable Explained

11Moreouer, the worde of the Lorde came vnto me, saying: 12Speake now to the rebellious house, Knowe ye not what these thinges do signifie? Tell them, beholde, the kyng of Babylon is come to Hierusalem, and hath taken the kyng thereof, and the princes therof, and hath led them with him to Babylon. 13He toke of the kynges seede, and made a couenaunt with him, and toke an othe of hym, the princes of the lande toke he with him also. 14That the kyngdome might be holden in subiection, and not lift vp it selfe, but kepe the couenaunt, and stande to it. 15But he rebelled against hym, and sent his embassadours into Egypt, that he might haue horses and muche people: Should he prosper? shall he escape that doth suche thinges? or shall he breake the couenaunt and escape free? 16As truely as I liue saith the Lorde God, he shall dye at Babylon in the place where the kyng dwelleth that made hym kyng, whose othe he hath despised, and whose couenaunt he hath broken. 17Neither shall Pharao with his great hoast and multitude of people, maintayne hym in the warre, when they haue cast vp mountes, and buylt a fort to destroy many persons. 18For seeing he hath despised the othe and broken the couenaunt, (wheras he yet gaue his hande therevpon) and done all these thinges, he shall not escape. 19Therfore thus saith the Lorde God, As truely as I liue I wyll bryng mine othe that he hath despised, and my couenaunt that he hath broken, vpon his owne head. 20I wyll spreade my net vpon hym, and he shall be caught in my net: and I wyll bryng hym to Babylon, and enter into iudgement with him there, for the trespasse whiche he hath committed against me. 21As for those that flee from hym, with all his hoast, they shalbe slayne with the sworde, and the residue shalbe scattred towardes all the windes: and ye shall knowe that I the Lord haue spoken it.

22Thus saith the Lorde God, I wyll also take of the top of this hye Cedar, and wyll set it, and cut of the top of the tender plant thereof, and wyll plant it vpon an hye hyll and a great. 23namely vpon the hye hyll of Israel will I plant it, that it may bryng foorth bowes, and geue fruite, and be an excellent Cedar: and vnder it shall remayne all byrdes, and euery foule shall remaine vnder the shadowe of the braunches thereof. 24And all the trees of the fielde shall knowe that I the Lorde haue brought downe the hye tree, and exalted the lowe tree, that I haue dryed vp the greene tree, and made the drye tree to florishe, euen I the Lorde that spake it, haue also brought it to passe.