1 A nd the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2 S on of man, put forth a riddle and speak a parable or allegory to the house of Israel;

Son of man, propose a figure and compose an enigma unto the house of Israel

3 S ay, Thus says the Lord God: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, rich in feathers of various colors, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.

and say: Thus hath the Lord GOD said, A great eagle with great wings and long members, full of feathers of diverse colours, came unto Lebanon and took the highest branch of the cedar:

4 H e broke off the topmost of its young twigs and carried it into a land of trade; he set it in a city of merchants.

he cropped off the principal shoot and carried it into a land of markets; he set it in the city of the merchants.

5 H e took also of the seedlings of the land and planted it in fertile soil and a fruitful field; he placed it beside abundant waters and set it as a willow tree.

He also took of the seed of the land and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters and set it as a willow tree.

6 A nd it grew and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and its roots remained under and subject to him; so it became a vine and brought forth branches and shot forth leafy twigs.

And it grew and became a vine of many branches, low of stature, whose branches looked at him, and its roots were under him: so it became a vine and brought forth branches and shot forth sprigs.

7 T here was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers; and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and shot forth its branches toward him, away from the beds of its planting, for him to water.

There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers; and, behold, this vine joined her roots toward him and extended her branches toward him that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.

8 T hough it was planted in good soil where water was plentiful for it to produce leaves and to bear fruit, it was transplanted, that it might become a splendid vine.

It was planted in a good soil by many waters that it might bring forth branches and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.

9 T hus says the Lord God: Ask, Will it thrive? Will he not pluck up its roots and strip off its fruit so that all its fresh sprouting leaves will wither? It will not take a strong arm or many people to pluck it up by its roots.

Say thou: Thus hath the Lord GOD said, Shall it be prospered? Shall he not pull it up its roots and destroy its fruit and let it wither? All of the leaves of her spring shall wither, even without great power or many people plucking it up by its roots.

10 Y es, behold, though transplanted, will it prosper? Will it not utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the furrows and beds where it sprouted and grew.

Yea, behold, being planted, shall it be prospered? Shall it not utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It shall wither in the furrows where it grew.

11 M oreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

12 S ay now to the rebellious house, Do you not know and realize what these things mean? Tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took its king and its princes and brought them with him to Babylon.

Say now to the rebellious house: Do ye not know what these things mean? Tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem and has taken its king and its princes and led them with him to Babylon;

13 A nd he took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took the mighty and chief men of the land,

and has taken of the seed of the kingdom and made a covenant with him and has brought him to an oath: he has also taken the mighty of the land:

14 T hat the kingdom might become low and base and be unable to lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand.

that the kingdom might be cast down, that it might not lift itself up, but that it might keep his covenant and stay in her.

15 B ut he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Will he prosper? Will he escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant with and yet escape?

But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors unto Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he be prospered, shall he that does such things escape? And shall he who broke the covenant be able to flee?

16 A s I live, says the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwells who made king, whose oath despised and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon shall die.

As I live, said the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwells that made him king, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon, he shall die.

17 N either shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war when the cast up mounds and build forts to destroy many lives.

And not with a mighty army, nor with a great company shall Pharaoh do anything for him in the battle when they cast up mounts, and build forts to cut off many lives:

18 F or despised the oath and broke the covenant and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things; he shall not escape.

seeing he despised the oath to invalidate the covenant when, behold, he had given his hand and has done all these things, he shall not escape.

19 T herefore thus says the Lord God: As I live, surely My oath that has despised and My covenant with him that he has broken, I will even bring down on his own head.

Therefore thus hath the Lord GOD said: As I live, surely my oath that he has despised and my covenant that he has broken, even it will I turn upon his own head.

20 A nd I will spread My net over him, and he shall be taken in My snare; and I will bring him to Babylon and will enter into judgment and punishment with him there for his trespass and treason that he has committed against Me.

And I will spread my net upon him and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon and will enter into judgment with him there for his trespass with which he has rebelled against me.

21 A nd all his fugitives in all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward every wind. And you shall know (understand and realize) that I the Lord have spoken it.

And all his fugitives with all his armies shall fall by the sword, and those that remain shall be scattered toward all winds; and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it.

22 T hus says the Lord God: I Myself will take a twig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out; I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one and will plant it upon a mountain high and exalted.

¶ Thus hath the Lord GOD said: I will also take of the highest branch of that high cedar and will set it up; I will crop off from the principal branch a shoot and will plant it upon the high and sublime mountain:

23 O n the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit and be a noble cedar, and under it shall dwell all birds of every feather; in the shade of its branches they shall nestle and find rest.

in the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, and it shall bring forth boughs and bear fruit and become a magnificent cedar; and under it shall dwell every fowl; everything that flies shall dwell in the shadow of its branches.

24 A nd all the trees of the field shall know (understand and realize) that I the Lord have brought low the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.

And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish; I the LORD have spoken and have done it.