1. The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:
2. “Human, give a riddle and tell a story to the people of Israel.
3. Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: A giant eagle with big wings and long feathers of many different colors came to Lebanon and took hold of the top of a cedar tree.
4. He pulled off the top branch and brought it to a land of traders, where he planted it in a city of traders.
5. “ ‘The eagle took some seed from the land and planted it in a good field near plenty of water. He planted it to grow like a willow tree.
6. It sprouted and became a low vine that spread over the ground. The branches turned toward the eagle, but the roots were under the eagle. So the seed became a vine, and its branches grew, sending out leaves.
7. “ ‘But there was another giant eagle with big wings and many feathers. The vine then bent its roots toward this eagle. It sent out its branches from the area where it was planted toward the eagle so he could water it.