| International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1This message came to me from the LORD: | 1Then this message came to me from the LORD: |
| 2"Son of Man, compose a riddle and relate a parable to Israel's house. | 2“Son of man, give this riddle, and tell this story to the people of Israel. |
| 3Tell them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says, "A massive eagle with gigantic wings, long pinions, and full, multi-colored plumage came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar. | 3Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: “A great eagle with broad wings and long feathers, covered with many-colored plumage, came to Lebanon. He seized the top of a cedar tree |
| 4He plucked off the top of its shoot, brought it to a land of merchants, and set it down in a city full of traders. | 4and plucked off its highest branch. He carried it away to a city filled with merchants. He planted it in a city of traders. |
| 5Then the eagle took a seed from the land and planted it in fertile ground. He planted it like a willow tree next to abundant waters. | 5He also took a seedling from the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside a broad river, where it could grow like a willow tree. |
| 6It flourished and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned toward him, and its roots spread under him to become a vine that put out shoots and spread out its branches. | 6It took root there and grew into a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned up toward the eagle, and its roots grew down into the ground. It produced strong branches and put out shoots. |
| 7"'"All of a sudden, there was another eagle with gigantic wings and thick plumage. The vine stretched its roots hungrily toward him and spread its branches out to him in order to be watered on the terraces where it was planted. | 7But then another great eagle came with broad wings and full plumage. So the vine now sent its roots and branches toward him for water, |
| 8It was transplanted into good soil near abundant water, and it produced branches and bore fruit, becoming a magnificent vine."' | 8even though it was already planted in good soil and had plenty of water so it could grow into a splendid vine and produce rich leaves and luscious fruit. |
| 9"Tell them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says, "Will it prosper? Won't he pull up its roots, and strip it bare so all its fresh foliage dries up? It won't be by great strength or by a great army that it will be uprooted. | 9“So now the Sovereign LORD asks: Will this vine grow and prosper? No! I will pull it up, roots and all! I will cut off its fruit and let its leaves wither and die. I will pull it up easily without a strong arm or a large army. |
| 10Look! Because it's a transplanted vine, won't it wither when the east wind hits it? It will surely wither in the terraces where it had started to sprout."'" | 10But when the vine is transplanted, will it thrive? No, it will wither away when the east wind blows against it. It will die in the same good soil where it had grown so well.” The Riddle Explained |
| 11This message came to me from the LORD: | 11Then this message came to me from the LORD: |
| 12"Tell my rebellious house, 'Don't you know what these things mean? Look! The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, captured her king and princes, and took them with him to Babylon. | 12“Say to these rebels of Israel: Don’t you understand the meaning of this riddle of the eagles? The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took away her king and princes, and brought them to Babylon. |
| 13Then he took one of the royal descendants, made a covenant with him, and put him under an oath of loyalty, taking the leaders of the land captive | 13He made a treaty with a member of the royal family and forced him to take an oath of loyalty. He also exiled Israel’s most influential leaders, |
| 14in order to humiliate the kingdom so it wouldn't be able to return to power, but would still be able to continue as long as he keeps his covenant. | 14so Israel would not become strong again and revolt. Only by keeping her treaty with Babylon could Israel survive. |
| 15But he rebelled against the king of Babylon by sending his messengers to Egypt to obtain horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Or will the one who did this escape? Will he break the covenant, but still be delivered?'" | 15“Nevertheless, this man of Israel’s royal family rebelled against Babylon, sending ambassadors to Egypt to request a great army and many horses. Can Israel break her sworn treaties like that and get away with it? |
| 16"As long as I live," declares the Lord GOD, "in Babylon, that place where the king has enthroned him, whose oath he despised so as to break his covenant, he'll die with him. | 16No! For as surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, the king of Israel will die in Babylon, the land of the king who put him in power and whose treaty he disregarded and broke. |
| 17Pharaoh, with his massive army and large battalions won't protect him when mounds and siege walls are built to destroy many people. | 17Pharaoh and all his mighty army will fail to help Israel when the king of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem again and destroys many lives. |
| 18He despised the oath he had made and broke the covenant. Look! Because he willingly submitted, yet he has done all these things, he won't escape. | 18For the king of Israel disregarded his treaty and broke it after swearing to obey; therefore, he will not escape. |
| 19Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says, "As long as I live, because he despised my oath and broke my covenant, he's going to suffer the consequences. | 19“So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, I will punish him for breaking my covenant and disregarding the solemn oath he made in my name. |
| 20I'll spread my net over him so that he'll be caught in my snare. I'll bring him to Babylon and carry out my sentence there because of his treachery toward me. | 20I will throw my net over him and capture him in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and put him on trial for this treason against me. |
| 21The fugitives of his troops will die by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to the four winds. Then you'll know that I, the LORD, have spoken." | 21And all his best warriors will be killed in battle, and those who survive will be scattered to the four winds. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken. |
| 22This is what the Lord GOD says, "I'm also going to take a shoot from the top of a cedar and plant it. I'll pluck off its delicate twigs and transplant it on a high and lofty mountain. | 22“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take a branch from the top of a tall cedar, and I will plant it on the top of Israel’s highest mountain. |
| 23I'll transplant it on Israel's land, and it will grow branches, bear fruit, and become a majestic cedar. All sorts of birds will rest under it, and they'll settle down in the shade of its branches. | 23It will become a majestic cedar, sending forth its branches and producing seed. Birds of every sort will nest in it, finding shelter in the shade of its branches. |
| 24Then all the trees of the fields will know that I, the LORD, bring down the lofty tree and exalt the lowly tree. I dry up the green tree and cause the dry tree to bud. I the LORD have spoken this, and I will fulfill it." | 24And all the trees will know that it is I, the LORD, who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It is I who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree new life. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do what I said!” |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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