Ezekiel 17:1-6 ▼

1 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.