| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The word of the LORD came to me: | 1The word of the LORD came to me: " |
| 2“Son of man, propound a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel; | 2Son of man, pose a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel. |
| 3say, Thus says the Lord GOD: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, rich in plumage of many colors, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar. | 3You are to say: This is what the Lord GOD says: A great eagle with great wings, long pinions, and full plumage of many colors came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar. |
| 4He broke off the topmost of its young twigs and carried it to a land of trade and set it in a city of merchants. | 4He plucked off its topmost shoot, brought it to the land of merchants, and set it in a city of traders. |
| 5Then he took of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside abundant waters. He set it like a willow twig, | 5Then he took some of the land's seed and put it in a fertile field; he set it like a willow, a plant by abundant waters. |
| 6and it sprouted and became a low spreading vine, and its branches turned toward him, and its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out boughs. | 6It 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. |
| 7“And there was another great eagle with great wings and much plumage, and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and shot forth its branches toward him from the bed where it was planted, that he might water it. | 7But there was another great eagle with great wings and thick plumage. And this vine bent its roots toward him! It stretched out its branches to him from its planting bed, so that he might water it. |
| 8It had been planted on good soil by abundant waters, that it might produce branches and bear fruit and become a noble vine. | 8It had been planted in a good field by abundant waters in order to produce branches, bear fruit, and become a splendid vine. |
| 9“Say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, so that it withers, so that all its fresh sprouting leaves wither? It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it from its roots. | 9You are to say: This is what the Lord GOD says: Will it flourish? Will he not tear out its roots and strip off its fruit so that it shrivels? All its fresh leaves will wither! Great strength and many people will not be needed to pull it from its roots. |
| 10Behold, it is planted; will it thrive? Will it not utterly wither when the east wind strikes it—wither away on the bed where it sprouted?” | 10Even though it is planted, will it flourish? Won't it completely wither when the east wind strikes it? It will wither on the bed where it sprouted." |
| 11Then the word of the LORD came to me: | 11The word of the LORD came to me: " |
| 12“Say now to the rebellious house, Do you not know what these things mean? Tell them, behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took her king and her princes and brought them to him to Babylon. | 12Now say to that rebellious house: Don't you know what these things mean? Tell them: The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon. |
| 13And he took one of the royal offspring and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath (the chief men of the land he had taken away), | 13He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he took away the leading men of the land, |
| 14that the kingdom might be humble and not lift itself up, and keep his covenant that it might stand. | 14so the kingdom might be humble and not exalt itself but might keep his covenant in order to endure. |
| 15But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he thrive? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape? | 15However, this king revolted against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt so they might give him horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and still escape?" |
| 16“As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant with him he broke, in Babylon he shall die. | 16As I live"--this is the declaration of the Lord GOD--"he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. |
| 17Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in war, when mounds are cast up and siege walls built to cut off many lives. | 17Pharaoh will not help him with his great army and vast horde in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives. |
| 18He despised the oath in breaking the covenant, and behold, he gave his hand and did all these things; he shall not escape. | 18He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. He did all these things even though he gave his hand in pledge. He will not escape!" |
| 19Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: As I live, surely it is my oath that he despised, and my covenant that he broke. I will return it upon his head. | 19Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: "As I live, I will bring down on his head My oath that he despised and My covenant that he broke. |
| 20I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon and enter into judgment with him there for the treachery he has committed against me. | 20I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment on him there for the treachery he committed against Me. |
| 21And all the pick of his troops shall fall by the sword, and the survivors shall be scattered to every wind, and you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken.” | 21All the fugitives among his troops will fall by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every direction of the wind. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken." |
| 22Thus says the Lord GOD: “I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. | 22This is what the Lord GOD says: I will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it. I will pluck a tender sprig from its topmost shoots, and I will plant it on a high towering mountain. |
| 23On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. | 23I will plant it on Israel's high mountain so that it may bear branches, produce fruit, and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind will nest under it, taking shelter in the shade of its branches. |
| 24And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it.” | 24Then all the trees of the field will know that I am Yahweh. I bring down the tall tree, and make the low tree tall. I cause the green tree to wither and make the withered tree thrive. I, Yahweh, have spoken and I will do it. |
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