| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1The word of the LORD came to me: | 1Then this message came to me from the LORD: |
| 2"Son of man, offer a riddle, and tell a parable to the house of Israel. | 2“Son of man, give this riddle, and tell this story to the people of Israel. |
| 3Say to them: 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: "'A great eagle with broad wings, long feathers, with full plumage which was multi-hued, came to Lebanon and took 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 its topmost shoot; he brought it to a land of merchants and planted it in a city 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. |
| 5He took one of the seedlings of the land, placed it in a cultivated plot; a shoot by abundant water, like a willow he planted it. | 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 sprouted and became a vine, spreading low to the ground; its branches turning toward him, its roots were under itself. So it became a vine; it produced shoots and sent out 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"'There was another great eagle with broad wings and thick plumage. Now this vine twisted its roots toward him and sent its branches toward him to be watered from the soil 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, |
| 8In a good field, by abundant waters, it was planted to grow branches, bear fruit, and become a beautiful 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"'Say to them: This is what the sovereign LORD says: "'Will it prosper? Will he not rip out its roots and cause its fruit to rot and wither? All its foliage will wither. No strong arm or large army will be needed to pull it out by its roots. | 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. |
| 10Consider! It is planted, but will it prosper? Will it not wither completely when the east wind blows on it? Will it not wither in the soil where it sprouted?'" | 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 |
| 11Then the word of the LORD came to me: | 11Then this message came to me from the LORD: |
| 12"Say to the rebellious house of Israel: 'Don't you know what these things mean?' Say: 'See here, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took her king and her officials prisoner and brought them to himself in 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. |
| 13He took one from the royal family, made a treaty with him, and put him under oath. He then took the leaders of the land | 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, |
| 14so it would be a lowly kingdom which could not rise on its own but must keep its treaty with him in order to stand. | 14so Israel would not become strong again and revolt. Only by keeping her treaty with Babylon could Israel survive. |
| 15But this one from Israel's royal family rebelled against the king of Babylon by sending his emissaries to Egypt to obtain horses and a large army. Will he prosper? Will the one doing these things escape? Can he break the covenant and escape? | 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 surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, surely in the city of the king who crowned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke--in the middle of Babylon he will die! | 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 great army and mighty horde will not help him in battle, when siege ramps are erected and siege-walls are built to kill 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 by breaking the covenant. Take note--he gave his promise and did all these things--he will not escape! | 18For the king of Israel disregarded his treaty and broke it after swearing to obey; therefore, he will not escape. |
| 19"'Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, I will certainly repay him for despising my oath and breaking my covenant! | 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 will throw my net over him and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylon and judge him there because of the unfaithfulness he committed against 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. |
| 21All the choice men among his troops will die by the sword and the survivors will be scattered to every wind. Then you will 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. |
| 22"'This is what the sovereign LORD says: "'I will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it. I will pluck from the top one of its tender twigs; I myself will plant 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 will plant it on a high mountain of Israel, and it will raise branches and produce fruit and become a beautiful cedar. Every bird will live under it; Every winged creature will live 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. |
| 24All the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I make the high tree low; I raise up the low tree. I make the green tree wither, and I make the dry tree sprout. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do 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!” |
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