Yehezkiel 17:21-22

17:21 All the choice men ¹  among his troops will die ²  by the sword and the survivors will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken!

17:22 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:

“‘I will take a sprig ³  from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it. ⁴ 

I will pluck from the top one of its tender twigs;

I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.

¹ tc Some manuscripts and versions read “choice men,” while most manuscripts read “fugitives”; the difference arises from the reversal, or metathesis, of two letters, מִבְרָחָיו (mivrakhyv) for מִבְחָריו (mivkharyv).

² tn Heb “fall.”

³ sn The language is analogous to messianic imagery in Isa 11:1; Zech 3:8; 6:4 although the technical terminology is not the same.

⁴ tc The LXX lacks “and plant it.”