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.