1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, pose a riddle, and tell a parable to the house of Israel; 3 Tell them: This is what the sovereign LORD says: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, with full plumage of many colors, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar. 4 He trimmed off the topmost branch and carried it to a land of trade; he set it in a city of merchants. 5 He took a seedling from the land, and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside plenty of water; he set it like a willow. 6 It sprouted and became a low spreading vine. Its branches turned toward the eagle, and its roots grew deep. So it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and put out leafy twigs. 7 There was also another great eagle with great wings and full plumage. Now this vine sent its roots toward him, and shot forth its branches toward him, from the soil bed where it was planted, for him to water it. 8 It was planted in a good soil by abundant water, that it might produce branches, and that it might bear fruit and might be a magnificent vine. 9 Tell them, This is what the sovereign LORD says: Will it flourish? Will he not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it may wither and all its budding leaves shrivel? No strong arm or large army will be needed to pull it up by the roots. 10 When it is transplanted, will it thrive? When the east wind strikes it will it not totally wither? It will wither in the soil bed where it grew." 11 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 12 "Tell the rebellious house: Don't you know what these things mean? Tell them: The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took its king and its princes, and brought them back with him to Babylon. 13 He took the offspring of the royal family, and made a covenant with him, putting him under an oath. He also exiled the leaders of the land, 14 so that the kingdom might be weakened, and not able to raise itself up, but only by keeping its treaty might it stand. 15 But he rebelled against Babylon by sending ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Can one that does such things escape? Can he break the covenant and yet escape? 16 As I live, says the sovereign LORD, surely in the place where the king lives who made him king of Israel, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, he will die there in Babylon. 17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and great legions will not help him in the war, when they cast up ramps and siege towers to kill many lives. 18 For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he gave his hand in a promise and yet has done all these things, he will not escape. 19 Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: As I live, surely I will bring back on his own head my oath that he has despised, and my covenant that he has broken. 20 I will spread my net over him, and he will be captured in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, and will judge him there for his treachery that he has committed against me. 21 All his choice troops will fall by the sword, and they that survive will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken." 22 This is what the sovereign LORD says: "I will also take the sprig from the top of the cedar, and will plant it. I will prune off from the topmost of its tender young twigs and I will plant it upon a high and lofty mountain. 23 I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel. It will bring forth twigs, bear fruit, and be a magnificent cedar. Under it will dwell every kind of bird; they will live in the shade of its branches. 24 All the trees of the field will know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree, and have exalted the low tree. I have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish. I, the LORD, have spoken and will do it."