Ezekiel 17:1-10

The LORD spoke his word to me, saying: “Human, give a riddle and tell a story to the people of Israel. Say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: A giant eagle with big wings and long feathers of many different colors came to Lebanon and took hold of the top of a cedar tree. He pulled off the top branch and brought it to a land of traders, where he planted it in a city of traders. “ ‘The eagle took some seed from the land and planted it in a good field near plenty of water. He planted it to grow like a willow tree. It sprouted and became a low vine that spread over the ground. The branches turned toward the eagle, but the roots were under the eagle. So the seed became a vine, and its branches grew, sending out leaves. “ ‘But there was another giant eagle with big wings and many feathers. The vine then bent its roots toward this eagle. It sent out its branches from the area where it was planted toward the eagle so he could water it. It had been planted in a good field by plenty of water so it could grow branches and give fruit. It could have become a fine vine.’ “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: The vine will not continue to grow. The first eagle will pull up the vine’s roots and strip off its fruit. Then the vine and all its new leaves will dry up and die. It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull the vine up by its roots. Even if it is planted again, it will not continue to grow. It will completely dry up and die when the east wind hits it in the area where it grew.’ ”