17 Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ² “Son of man, tell a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel; ³ and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “A great eagle with great wings and long feathers, full of feathers, which had various colors, came to Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar. ⁴ He cropped off the topmost of its young twigs, and carried it to a land of traffic. He planted it in a city of merchants.

⁵ “‘“He also took some of the seed of the land, and planted it in fruitful soil. He placed it beside many waters. He set it as a willow tree. ⁶ It grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him. So it became a vine, produced branches, and shot out sprigs.

⁷ “‘“There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers. Behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, and shot out its branches toward him, from the beds of its plantation, that he might water it. ⁸ It was planted in a good soil by many waters, that it might produce branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a good vine.”’

⁹ “Say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Will it prosper? Won’t he pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it may wither; that all its fresh springing leaves may wither? It can’t be raised from its roots by a strong arm or many people. ¹⁰ Yes, behold, being planted, will it prosper? Won’t it utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the beds where it grew.”’”