1. And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2. Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;
3. And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, long-winged, full of feathers, which had divers colors, came to Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:
4. He cropped off the top of its young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.
5. He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.
6. And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned towards him, and its roots were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.
7. There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and behold, this vine did bend her roots towards him, and shot forth her branches towards him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.