| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1The word of the LORD came to me: " | 1The word of the LORD came to me: |
| 2Son of man, pose a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel. | 2"Son of man, offer a riddle, and tell a parable to the house of Israel. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 4He plucked off its topmost shoot, brought it to the land of merchants, and set it in a city of traders. | 4He plucked off its topmost shoot; he brought it to a land of merchants and planted it in a city of traders. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 8It had been planted in a good field by abundant waters in order to produce branches, bear fruit, and become a splendid vine. | 8In a good field, by abundant waters, it was planted to grow branches, bear fruit, and become a beautiful vine. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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." | 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?'" |
| 11The word of the LORD came to me: " | 11Then the word of the LORD came to me: |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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, | 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 |
| 14so the kingdom might be humble and not exalt itself but might keep his covenant in order to endure. | 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. |
| 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?" | 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? |
| 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. | 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! |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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!" | 18He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Take note--he gave his promise and did all these things--he will not escape! |
| 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. | 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! |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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." | 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! |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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!'" |
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