Messianic Texts in the Prophets: Ezek. 17:22-24 (6th c. BC) Lofty Top of the Cedar צַּמֶּ֧רֶת הָאֶ֛רֶז הָרָמָ֖ה Topmost of its Young Twigs רֹ֤אשׁ יֹֽנְקוֹתָיו֙ רַ֣ךְ

Messianic Texts in the Prophets: 

Ezekiel 17:22-24 (6^th c. BC)

Lofty Top of the Cedar 

צַּמֶּ֧רֶת הָאֶ֛רֶז הָרָמָ֖ה (tzameret hā⁾erez hārāmāh)

Topmost of its Young Twigs 

רֹ֤אשׁ יֹֽנְקוֹתָיו֙ רַ֣ךְ (rōsh yōneqōtāw rakh)

“Thus says the Lord GOD, 

‘I will also take a sprig 

from the lofty top of the cedar 

and set it out; 

I will pluck 

from the topmost of its young twigs 

a tender one 

and I will plant it 

on a high and lofty mountain. 

On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, 

that it may bring forth boughs 

and bear fruit and become a stately cedar. 

And birds of every kind will nest under it; 

they will nest in the shade of its branches. 

All the trees of the field will know that 

I am the LORD; 

I bring down the high tree, exalt the low tree, 

dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. 

I am the LORD; 

I have spoken, and I will perform it’” 

(Ezek. 17:22-24).

‏כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה וְלָקַ֣חְתִּי אָ֗נִי מִצַּמֶּ֧רֶת הָאֶ֛רֶז הָרָמָ֖ה וְנָתָ֑תִּי מֵרֹ֤אשׁ יֹֽנְקוֹתָיו֙ רַ֣ךְ אֶקְטֹ֔ף וְשָׁתַ֣לְתִּי אָ֔נִי עַ֥ל הַר־גָּבֹ֖הַ וְתָלֽוּל׃ ‎‏ בְּהַ֨ר מְר֤וֹם יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶשְׁתֳּלֶ֔נּוּ וְנָשָׂ֤א עָנָף֙ וְעָ֣שָׂה פֶ֔רִי וְהָיָ֖ה לְאֶ֣רֶז אַדִּ֑יר וְשָׁכְנ֣וּ תַחְתָּ֗יו כֹּ֚ל צִפּ֣וֹר כָּל־כָּנָ֔ף בְּצֵ֥ל דָּלִיּוֹתָ֖יו תִּשְׁכֹּֽנָּה׃ ‎‏ וְֽיָדְע֞וּ כָּל־עֲצֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ הִשְׁפַּ֣לְתִּי ׀ עֵ֣ץ גָּבֹ֗הַ הִגְבַּ֙הְתִּי֙ עֵ֣ץ שָׁפָ֔ל הוֹבַ֙שְׁתִּי֙ עֵ֣ץ לָ֔ח וְהִפְרַ֖חְתִּי עֵ֣ץ יָבֵ֑שׁ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי וְעָשִֽׂיתִי׃ פ

“But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain” (Psa. 2:6). 

“Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches, and all living creatures fed themselves from it” (Dan. 4:12).

“He presented another parable to them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES’” (Matt. 13:31-32).

(Psa. 2:6 (BHS  וַ֭אֲנִי נָסַ֣כְתִּי מַלְכִּ֑י עַל־צִ֝יּ֗וֹן הַר־קָדְשִֽׁי׃

Dan. 4:9 עָפְיֵ֤הּ שַׁפִּיר֙ וְאִנְבֵּ֣הּ שַׂגִּ֔יא וּמָז֨וֹן לְכֹ֖לָּא־בֵ֑הּ תְּחֹת֜וֹהִי תַּטְלֵ֣ל ׀ חֵיוַ֣ת בָּרָ֗א וּבְעַנְפ֙וֹהִי֙ יְדֻרוּן [יְדוּרָן֙] צִפֲּרֵ֣י שְׁמַיָּ֔א וּמִנֵּ֖הּ יִתְּזִ֥ין כָּל־בִּשְׂרָֽא׃

(Matt. 13:31-32 (MHNT הוֹסִיף וְסִפֵּר מָשָׁל אַחֵר: ”מַלְכוּת הַשָּׁמַיִם דּוֹמָה לְגַרְגִּיר חַרְדָּל אֲשֶׁר לְקָחוֹ אִישׁ וְזָרַע אוֹתוֹ בְּשָׂדֵהוּ. אָמְנָם קָטֹן הוּא מִכָּל הַזְּרָעִים, אַךְ לְאַחַר צְמִיחָתוֹ גָּדוֹל הוּא מִן הַיְּרָקוֹת וְהוֹפֵךְ לְעֵץ, כָּךְ שֶׁעוֹפוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם בָּאִים וּמְקַנְּנִים בֵּין עֲנָפָיו.“