1 The word of the Lord came to me:
2 “Son of man, pose a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel.
3 You are to say: This is what the Lord God says:A great eagle with great wings, long pinions,and full plumage of many colorscame to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.
4 He plucked off its topmost shoot,brought it to the land of merchants,and set it in a city of traders.
5 Then he took some of the land’s seedand put it in a fertile field; he set it like a willow, a plant by abundant waters.
6 It sprouted and became a spreading vine,low in height with its branches turned toward him, yet its roots stayed under it.So it became a vine,produced branches, and sent out shoots.