| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1This message came to me from the LORD: | 1The word of the LORD came to me: " |
| 2"Son of Man, compose a riddle and relate a parable to Israel's house. | 2Son of man, pose a riddle and speak a parable to the house 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 4He plucked off its topmost shoot, brought it to the land of merchants, and set 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. | 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 8It was transplanted into good soil near abundant water, and it produced branches and bore fruit, becoming a magnificent vine."' | 8It had been planted in a good field by abundant waters in order to produce branches, bear fruit, and become a splendid vine. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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."'" | 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." |
| 11This message came to me from the LORD: | 11The word of the LORD came to me: " |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 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, |
| 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 the kingdom might be humble and not exalt itself but might keep his covenant in order to endure. |
| 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?'" | 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?" |
| 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. | 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. |
| 17Pharaoh, with his massive army and large battalions won't protect him when mounds and siege walls are built to destroy many people. | 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. |
| 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. | 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!" |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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." | 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. |
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