1. The Lord spoke his word to me. He said:
2. “Human being, give a riddle. Tell a story to the people of Israel.
3. Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: A great eagle came to Lebanon. He had great wings with long feathers of many different colors. The eagle took hold of the top of a cedar tree.
4. He pulled off the top branch. And he brought it to a land of traders. The eagle planted it in a city of traders.
5. “‘The eagle took a young plant from the land. And he planted it in a good field near plenty of water. He planted it to grow like a willow tree.
6. The plant grew and became a low vine that spread over the ground. The vine’s branches turned toward the eagle. The vine’s roots were under the eagle. So the plant became a vine. And its branches grew, sending out leaves.
7. “‘But there was another eagle with great wings and many feathers. The vine then bent its roots toward this eagle. The vine also sent out its branches toward the eagle so he could water it. The vine turned away from the area where it was planted.
8. It was planted in a good field. It was by plenty of water so it could grow branches and give fruit. It could have become a fine vine.’
9. “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: The vine will not continue to grow. The first eagle will pull up the vine’s roots and strip off its fruit. Then the vine will dry up. All its new leaves will dry up and die. It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull the vine up by its roots.
10. It might be planted again. But it will not continue to grow. It will completely die when the east wind hits it. It will dry up in the area where it grew.’”
11. Then the Lord spoke his word to me. He said: