17 Then Yahweh gave me another message: 2 “Humanity’s child, present a riddle and speak a parable to the Israeli people. 3 Tell them, ‘The master Yahweh says this: ‘A large eagle with large wings full of multi-coloured feathers, and long pinions, went to Lebanon and grabbed hold of the top of a cedar tree. 4 He broke the top shoot of the tree off, and took it to Canaan where he placed it in a city full of merchants. 5 He also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil, beside a large body of water where a willow might grow. 6 Then the seed sprouted and became a spreading vine low to the ground. Its branches turned toward him, and its roots grew down below, so it became a vine and produced branches and sent out shoots.

7 But there was another large eagle with large wings and many feathers. Oh wow, that vine turned its roots toward this eagle, and it spread out its branches toward the eagle from the place it had been planted so it might get watered. 8 It had been planted in good soil beside a large body of water so it would grow branches and produce fruit, to become a magnificent vine.’

9 Ask the people: ‘The master Yahweh wants to know if it will prosper? Won’t it be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it withers, and all its fresh growth will dry out? You wouldn’t have to be very strong or get lots of people to help to pull it out by its roots. 10 So listen. After it had been planted, would it thrive? Wouldn’t it wither up when the eastern wind touches it? Yes, it would wither right up in the garden plot where it sprouted.’ ”