1And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,

2“Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Yisra’ĕl.

3“And you shall say, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “The great eagle with large wings of long pinions, covered with feathers of various colours, came to Leḇanon and took the top of the cedar.

4“He plucked off the topmost of its young twigs and brought it to a land of traders. In a city of merchants he placed it.

5“He also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in a field for seed. He took it by many waters, set it like a willow tree.

6“So it grew and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned toward him, and its roots were under it. And it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and sent out shoots.

7“And there was another great eagle with large wings and many feathers. And see, this vine bent its roots toward him, and stretched its branches toward him, to water it, away from the beds where it was planted.

8“It was planted in a good field by many waters, to bring forth branches, and to bear fruit, to be a splendid vine.” ’

9“Say, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “Is it going to thrive? Is he not going to pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, and let it wither? All of its sprouting leaves wither, without great power or many people, to pluck it up by its roots.

10“See, it is planted, is it going to thrive? Would it not utterly wither when the east wind touches it – wither in the beds where it grows?” ’ ”

11And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,

12“Please say to the rebellious house, ‘Do you not know what these mean?’ Say, ‘See, the sovereign of Baḇel went to Yerushalayim and took its sovereign and heads, and brought them with him to Baḇel.

13‘And he took one of the royal seed, and made a covenant with him, and put him under oath. And he took away the mighty of the land,

14so that the reign would be brought low and not lift itself up, but guard his covenant, that it might stand.

15‘But he rebelled against him by sending his messengers to Mitsrayim, to give him horses and many people. Shall he thrive? Shall he escape who is doing these? And shall he break a covenant and still escape?

16‘As I live,’ declares the Master יהוה, ‘in the place where the sovereign dwells who set him up to reign, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, with him in the midst of Baḇel he shall die!

17‘And Pharaoh with his great army and great company is not going to help him in battle, when they heap up a siege mound and build a wall to cut off many beings.

18‘And he despised the oath by breaking the covenant. And see, he has given his hand and he has done all this, he is not going to escape.’ ”

19Therefore thus said the Master יהוה, “As I live, My oath which he has despised, and My covenant which he has broken, shall I not put it on his own head?

20“And I shall spread My net over him, and he shall be taken in My snare. And I shall bring him to Baḇel and enter into judgment with him there for the trespass which he committed against Me,

21and all his fugitives with all his bands fall by the sword, and those who are left be scattered to every wind. And you shall know that I, יהוה, have spoken.”

22Thus said the Master יהוה, “And I shall take of the top of the highest cedar and set it out. And I Myself shall pluck off a tender one from the topmost of its young twigs, and plant it on a high and lofty mountain.

23“On the mountain height of Yisra’ĕl I plant it. And it shall bring forth branches, and bear fruit, and become a big cedar. And under it shall dwell birds of every sort, in the shadow of its branches they shall dwell.

24“And all the trees of the field shall know that I, יהוה, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish. I, יהוה, have spoken and shall do it.”