The eagle and the planted vine

1And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

2Son of man, pose a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel.

3and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: The great eagle, great in wings, long in pinions, full of plumage, which had variegated feathers, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.’

4He plucked off the topmost of its young shoots and brought it to the land of Canaan; he set it in a city of merchants.

5Then he took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil; he placed it beside abundant waters, like a willow.

6And it sprouted and became a spreading vine, low in stature, with its branches turned toward him and its roots beneath him. So it became a vine and produced branches and sent out boughs.