1 T he Word of the Lord came to me saying,

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

2 “ Son of man, give the people of Israel this picture-story to think about.

Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

3 T ell them, ‘The Lord God says, “A large eagle with big wings and long feathers of many colors came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar tree.

And say, Thus saith the Lord God; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:

4 H e broke off the very top of its young branches and brought it to a land of traders. He placed it in a city of people who buy and sell.

He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.

5 T hen he took some of the seed of the land and planted it in good ground for growing. He planted it like a willow tree where there was much water to make it grow.

He took also 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 low spreading vine. Its branches grew toward him, but its roots stayed under it. So it became a vine, and branches and leaves grew out from it.

And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.

7 “ But there was another large eagle with big wings and many feathers. And the vine turned its roots and branches toward him from where it was planted, that he might water it.

There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.

8 I t had been planted in good ground beside much water, that it might grow branches and give fruit and become a beautiful vine.”’

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

9 T ell them, ‘The Lord God says, “Will it live and grow? Will not its roots be pulled up and its fruit be cut off so that its leaves that started to grow dry up? It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by the roots.

Say thou, Thus saith the Lord God; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.

10 E ven if it is planted again, will it live and grow? Will it not dry up when the east wind hits it? Will it not dry up in the place where it grew?”’”

Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.

11 T hen the Word of the Lord came to me saying,

Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

12 “ Now tell these sinful people, ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘See, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem. He took its king and the king’s sons, and brought them back with him to Babylon.

Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon;

13 H e took one of the king’s family and made an agreement with him. And he made him promise to keep it. He also took away the strong leaders of the land,

And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:

14 s o that the nation would be under his power and not become strong again. It could only last by keeping his agreement.

That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.

15 B ut the king of Judah turned against him by sending his men to Egypt to get horses and a large army for him. Will it go well for him? Can he get away with that? Can he break the agreement and not be punished?

But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?

16 A s I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘he will die in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose promise he hated, and whose agreement he broke. He will die in Babylon.

As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.

17 P haraoh with his powerful army of many men will not help him in the war, when battle-walls are put up so that many people are killed.

Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:

18 H e hated the promise and broke the agreement. Because he had given his promise and then did all these things, he will not get away from being punished.’”

Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.

19 S o the Lord God says, “As I live, I will punish him for hating My promise and for breaking My agreement.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.

20 I will spread My net over him and he will be caught in My trap. Then I will bring him to Babylon and punish him there for not being faithful to 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 plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.

21 A nd all the best of his soldiers will be killed by the sword, and those left alive will be thrown to the wind. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken.” God’s Promise of Hope

And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the Lord have spoken it.

22 T he Lord God says, “I will also take a young branch from the very top of the cedar tree and plant it. I will break a soft new one from the very top of its young branches, and plant it on a high mountain.

Thus saith the Lord God; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:

23 I will plant it on the high mountain of Israel. It will grow branches and give fruit and become a beautiful cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it. They will nest in the shadow of its branches.

In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.

24 T hen all the trees of the field will know that I am the Lord. I bring down the high tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree become green. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I say.”

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.