Study Desk

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

"Son of man, ask a riddle and present a ^(C1)parable to the house of Israel,

^(F1)saying, 'This is what the Lord ^(F2)GOD says: "A great ^(F3)(C1)eagle with ^(C2)great wings, long pinions, and a full plumage of many colors came to ^(F4)(C3)Lebanon and took away the top of the ^(F5)cedar.

"He broke off the ^(F1)topmost of its young twigs and brought it to a land of merchants; he set it in a ^(F2)city of traders.

"He also took ^(F1)from the seed of the land and planted ^(F1)it in ^(F2)(C1)fertile soil, a ^(F3)meadow beside abundant waters; he set it like a ^(C2)willow.

"Then it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine with its branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and produced shoots and sent out branches.