1 Y ahweh’s word came to me, saying,

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,

2 S on of man, tell a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;

“Son of man, propound a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel,

3 a nd say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: A great eagle with great wings and long feathers, full of feathers, which had various colors, came to Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar:

saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “A great eagle with great wings, long pinions and a full plumage of many colors came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar.

4 h e cropped off the topmost of the young twigs of it, and carried it to a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants.

He plucked off the topmost of its young twigs and brought it to a land of merchants; he set it in a city of traders.

5 H e took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil; he placed it beside many waters; he set it as a willow tree.

He also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside abundant waters; he set it like a willow.

6 I t grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him: so it became a vine, and produced branches, and shot out sprigs.

Then it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine with its branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and yielded shoots and sent out branches.

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 out its branches toward him, from the beds of its plantation, that he might water it.

“But there was another great eagle with great wings and much plumage; and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and sent out its branches toward him from the beds where it was planted, that he might water it.

8 I t was planted in a good soil by many waters, that it might produce branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.

It was planted in good soil beside abundant waters, that it might yield branches and bear fruit and become a splendid vine.”’

9 S ay, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it may wither; that all its fresh springing leaves may wither? and not by a strong arm or many people can it be raised from its roots.

Say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, so that it withers—so that all its sprouting leaves wither? And neither by great strength nor by many people can it be raised from its roots again.

10 Y es, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind touches it? it shall wither in the beds where it grew.

Behold, though it is planted, will it thrive? Will it not completely wither as soon as the east wind strikes it—wither on the beds where it grew?”’” Zedekiah’s Rebellion

11 M oreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

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

12 S ay now to the rebellious house, Don’t you know what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took its king, and its princes, and brought them to him to Babylon:

“Say now to the rebellious house, ‘Do you not know what these things mean ?’ Say, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and princes and brought them to him in Babylon.

13 a nd he took of the royal offspring, and made a covenant with him; he also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land;

He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land,

14 t hat the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand.

that the kingdom might be in subjection, not exalting itself, but keeping his covenant that it might continue.

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

But he rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt that they might give him horses and many troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant and escape?

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

As I live,’ declares the Lord God, ‘Surely in the country of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, in Babylon he shall die.

17 N either shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts, to cut off many persons.

Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in the war, when they cast up ramps and build siege walls to cut off many lives.

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

Now he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he pledged his allegiance, yet did all these things; he shall not escape.’”

19 T herefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: As I live, surely my oath that he has despised, and my covenant that he has broken, I will even bring it on his own head.

Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “As I live, surely My oath which he despised and My covenant which he broke, I will inflict on his head.

20 I will spread my net on 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 that he has trespassed against me.

I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. Then I will bring him to Babylon and enter into judgment with him there regarding the unfaithful act which he has committed against Me.

21 A ll his fugitives in all his bands shall fall by the sword, and those who remain shall be scattered toward every wind: and you shall know that I, Yahweh, have spoken it.

All the choice men in all his troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to every wind; and you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken.”

22 T hus says the Lord Yahweh: I will also take of the lofty top of the cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain:

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.

23 i n the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it; and it shall produce boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all birds of every wing; in the shade of its branches shall they dwell.

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.

24 A ll the trees of the field shall know that I, Yahweh, 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, Yahweh, have spoken and have done it.

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.”