1. The Lord said:
2. Ezekiel, son of man, tell the people of Israel the following story,
3. so they will understand what I am saying to them:A large eagle with strong wings and beautiful feathers once flew to Lebanon. It broke the top branch off a cedar tree,
4. then carried it to a nation of merchants and left it in one of their cities.
5. The eagle also took seed from Israel and planted it in a fertile field with plenty of water, like a willow tree beside a stream.
6. The seed sprouted and grew into a grapevine that spread over the ground. It had lots of leaves and strong, deep roots, and its branches grew upward towards the eagle.
7. There was another eagle with strong wings and thick feathers. The roots and branches of the grapevine soon turned towards this eagle, hoping it would bring water for the soil.
8. But the vine was already growing in fertile soil, where there was plenty of water to produce healthy leaves and large grapes.
9. Now tell me, Ezekiel, do you think this grapevine will live? Or will the first eagle pull it up by its roots and pluck off the grapes and let its new leaves die? The eagle could easily kill it without the help of a large and powerful army.