Ezekiel 17:9

17:9 “‘Say to them: This is what the sovereign Lord says:

“‘Will it prosper?

Will he not rip out its roots

and cause its fruit to rot 1  and wither?

All its foliage 2  will wither.

No strong arm or large army

will be needed to pull it out by its roots. 3 

Ezekiel 17:15

17:15 But this one from Israel’s royal family 4  rebelled against the king of Babylon 5  by sending his emissaries to Egypt to obtain horses and a large army. Will he prosper? Will the one doing these things escape? Can he break the covenant and escape?

1 tn The Hebrew root occurs only here in the OT and appears to have the meaning of “strip off.” In application to fruit the meaning may be “cause to rot.”

2 tn Heb “all the טַרְפֵּי (tarpey) of branches.” The word טַרְפֵּי occurs only here in the Bible; its precise meaning is uncertain.

3 tn Or “there will be no strong arm or large army when it is pulled up by the roots.”

4 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the member of the royal family, v. 13) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

5 tn Heb “him”; the referent (the king of Babylon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.