Parable of the Eagles

17 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, pose a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel.^{(A) 3} You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: A huge eagle with powerful wings,^(B) long feathers, and full plumage of many colors came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.^{(C) 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 seed and put it in a fertile field;^(D) he set it like a willow,^(E) a plant^[a] by abundant water. ⁶ It sprouted and became a spreading vine, low in height with its branches turned toward him,^(F) yet its roots stayed under it. So it became a vine, produced branches, and sent out shoots.

⁷ “‘But there was another huge eagle with powerful wings and thick plumage. And this vine bent its roots toward him! It stretched out its branches to him from the plot where it was planted,^(G) so that he might water it. ⁸ It had been planted in a good field by abundant water in order to produce branches, bear fruit, and become a splendid vine.’

⁹ “You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Will it flourish? Will he not tear out its roots^(H) 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. ¹⁰ Even though it is planted, will it flourish? Won’t it wither completely when the east wind strikes it?^(I) It will wither on the plot where it sprouted.’”