The Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine

(Matthew 13:24–30)

17 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel 3 and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says:

‘A great eagle with great wings and long pinions,[fn]

full of feathers of many colors,

came to Lebanon

and took away the top of the cedar.

4 He plucked off its topmost shoot,

carried it to the land of merchants,

and planted it in a city of traders.

5 He took some of the seed of the land

and planted it in fertile soil;[fn]

he placed it by abundant waters

and set it out like a willow.

6 It sprouted and became a spreading vine,

low in height, with branches turned toward him;

yet its roots remained where it stood.

So it became a vine and yielded branches

and sent out shoots.

7 But there was another great eagle

with great wings and many feathers.

And behold, this vine bent its roots toward him.

It stretched out its branches to him from its planting bed,

so that he might water it.

8 It had been planted in good soil

by abundant waters

in order to yield branches and bear fruit

and become a splendid vine.’

9 So you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says:

‘Will it flourish?

Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit

so that it shrivels?

All its foliage will wither!

It will not take a strong arm or many people

to pull it up by its roots.

10 Even if it is transplanted,

will it flourish?

Will it not completely wither when the east wind strikes?

It will wither on the bed where it sprouted.’ ”