1 It was in the eleventh year of our captivity, in the third month, on the first day of the month. The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:
2 “Human, say to the king of Egypt and his people:‘No one is like you in your greatness.
3 Assyria was once like a cedar tree in Lebanonwith beautiful branches that shaded the forest.It was very tall;its top was among the clouds.
4 Much water made the tree grow;the deep springs made it tall.Rivers flowedaround the bottom of the treeand sent their streamsto all other trees in the countryside.
5 So the tree was tallerthan all the other trees in the countryside.Its limbs became long and bigbecause of so much water.
6 All the birds of the skymade their nests in the tree’s limbs.And all the wild animalsgave birth under its branches.All great nationslived in the tree’s shade.
7 So the tree was great and beautiful,with its long branches,because its roots reached down to much water.