וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ The word of the LORD came to me:
בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם ח֥וּד חִידָ֖ה וּמְשֹׁ֣ל מָשָׁ֑ל אֶל־בֵּ֖ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ O mortal, propound a riddle and relate an allegory to the House of Israel.
וְאָמַרְתָּ֞ כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֗ה הַנֶּ֤שֶׁר הַגָּדוֹל֙ גְּד֤וֹל הַכְּנָפַ֙יִם֙ אֶ֣רֶךְ הָאֵ֔בֶר מָלֵא֙ הַנּוֹצָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־ל֖וֹ הָרִקְמָ֑ה בָּ֚א אֶל־הַלְּבָנ֔וֹן וַיִּקַּ֖ח אֶת־צַמֶּ֥רֶת הָאָֽרֶז׃ Say: Thus said the Lord GOD: The great eagle with the great wings and the long pinions, aThis description suggests the golden eagle; the vulture, called by the same word in Heb. (nesher) has a bald head (Mic. 1.16) and dark feathers.with the full plumage and the brilliant colors,-a came to the Lebanon range and seized the top of the cedar.
אֵ֛ת רֹ֥אשׁ יְנִיקוֹתָ֖יו קָטָ֑ף וַיְבִיאֵ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן בְּעִ֥יר רֹכְלִ֖ים שָׂמֽוֹ׃ He plucked off its topmost bough and carried it off to the land of tradersbCf. 16.29. and set it in a city of merchants.
וַיִּקַּח֙ מִזֶּ֣רַע הָאָ֔רֶץ וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֖הוּ בִּשְׂדֵה־זָ֑רַע קָ֚ח עַל־מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים צַפְצָפָ֖ה שָׂמֽוֹ׃ He then took some of the seed of the landcEmendation yields “cedar.” and planted it in a fertile field; dMeaning of Heb. uncertain.he planted and set it like a willow-d beside abundant waters.
וַיִּצְמַ֡ח וַיְהִי֩ לְגֶ֨פֶן סֹרַ֜חַת שִׁפְלַ֣ת קוֹמָ֗ה לִפְנ֤וֹת דָּֽלִיּוֹתָיו֙ אֵלָ֔יו וְשׇׁרָשָׁ֖יו תַּחְתָּ֣יו יִהְי֑וּ וַתְּהִ֣י לְגֶ֔פֶן וַתַּ֣עַשׂ בַּדִּ֔ים וַתְּשַׁלַּ֖ח פֹּרֹֽאות׃ It grew and became a spreading vine of low stature; it became a vine, produced branches, and sent out boughs. [He had intended] that its twigs should turn to him, and that its roots should stay under him.
וַיְהִ֤י נֶֽשֶׁר־אֶחָד֙ גָּד֔וֹל גְּד֥וֹל כְּנָפַ֖יִם וְרַב־נוֹצָ֑ה וְהִנֵּה֩ הַגֶּ֨פֶן הַזֹּ֜את כָּפְנָ֧ה שׇׁרָשֶׁ֣יהָ עָלָ֗יו וְדָֽלִיּוֹתָיו֙ שִׁלְחָה־לּ֔וֹ לְהַשְׁק֣וֹת אוֹתָ֔הּ מֵעֲרֻג֖וֹת מַטָּעָֽהּ׃ But there was another great eagle with great wings and full plumage; and this vine now bent its roots in his direction and sent out its twigs toward him, that he might water it more than the bed where it was planted—
אֶל־שָׂ֥דֶה טּ֛וֹב אֶל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּ֖ים הִ֣יא שְׁתוּלָ֑ה לַעֲשׂ֤וֹת עָנָף֙ וְלָשֵׂ֣את פֶּ֔רִי לִהְי֖וֹת לְגֶ֥פֶן אַדָּֽרֶת׃ though it was planted in rich soil beside abundant water—so that it might grow branches and produce boughs and be a noble vine.
אֱמֹ֗ר כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִ֖ה תִּצְלָ֑ח הֲלוֹא֩ אֶת־שׇׁרָשֶׁ֨יהָ יְנַתֵּ֜ק וְאֶת־פִּרְיָ֣הּ ׀ יְקוֹסֵ֣ס וְיָבֵ֗שׁ כׇּל־טַרְפֵּ֤י צִמְחָהּ֙ תִּיבָ֔שׁ וְלֹֽא־בִזְרֹ֤עַ גְּדוֹלָה֙ וּבְעַם־רָ֔ב לְמַשְׂא֥וֹת אוֹתָ֖הּ מִשׇּׁרָשֶֽׁיהָ׃ Say: Thus said the Lord GOD: Will it thrive? Will heeI.e., the first eagle. not tear out its roots and rip off its crown, so that its entire foliage withers? It shall wither, despite any strong arm or mighty army [that may come] to remove it from its roots.
וְהִנֵּ֥ה שְׁתוּלָ֖ה הֲתִצְלָ֑ח הֲלֹא֩ כְגַ֨עַת בָּ֜הּ ר֤וּחַ הַקָּדִים֙ תִּיבַ֣שׁ יָבֹ֔שׁ עַל־עֲרֻגֹ֥ת צִמְחָ֖הּ תִּיבָֽשׁ׃ {פ}
And suppose it is transplanted, will it thrive? When the east wind strikes it, it shall wither—wither upon the bed where it is growing.
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ Then the word of the LORD came to me:
אֱמׇר־נָא֙ לְבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֔רִי הֲלֹ֥א יְדַעְתֶּ֖ם מָה־אֵ֑לֶּה אֱמֹ֗ר הִנֵּה־בָ֨א מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֤ל יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־מַלְכָּהּ֙ וְאֶת־שָׂרֶ֔יהָ וַיָּבֵ֥א אוֹתָ֛ם אֵלָ֖יו בָּבֶֽלָה׃ Say to the rebellious breed: Do you not know what these things mean? Say: The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and carried away its king and its officers and brought them back with him to Babylon.
וַיִּקַּח֙ מִזֶּ֣רַע הַמְּלוּכָ֔ה וַיִּכְרֹ֥ת אִתּ֖וֹ בְּרִ֑ית וַיָּבֵ֤א אֹתוֹ֙ בְּאָלָ֔ה וְאֶת־אֵילֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ לָקָֽח׃ He took one of the seed royal and made a covenant with him and imposed an oath on him, and he carried away the nobles of the land—
לִֽהְיוֹת֙ מַמְלָכָ֣ה שְׁפָלָ֔ה לְבִלְתִּ֖י הִתְנַשֵּׂ֑א לִשְׁמֹ֥ר אֶת־בְּרִית֖וֹ לְעׇמְדָֽהּ׃ so that it might be a humble kingdom and not exalt itself, but keep his covenant and so endure.
וַיִּמְרׇד־בּ֗וֹ לִשְׁלֹ֤חַ מַלְאָכָיו֙ מִצְרַ֔יִם לָתֶת־ל֥וֹ סוּסִ֖ים וְעַם־רָ֑ב הֲיִצְלָ֤ח הֲיִמָּלֵט֙ הָעֹשֵׂ֣ה אֵ֔לֶּה וְהֵפֵ֥ר בְּרִ֖ית וְנִמְלָֽט׃ But [that prince] rebelled against him and sent his envoys to Egypt to get horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Shall he break a covenant and escape?
חַי־אָ֗נִי נְאֻם֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִה֒ אִם־לֹ֗א בִּמְקוֹם֙ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הַמַּמְלִ֣יךְ אֹת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּזָה֙ אֶת־אָ֣לָת֔וֹ וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵפֵ֖ר אֶת־בְּרִית֑וֹ אִתּ֥וֹ בְתוֹךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל יָמֽוּת׃ As I live—declares the Lord GOD—in the very homeland of the king who made him king, whose oath he flouted and whose covenant he broke—right there, in Babylon, he shall die.
וְלֹא֩ בְחַ֨יִל גָּד֜וֹל וּבְקָהָ֣ל רָ֗ב יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה אוֹת֤וֹ פַרְעֹה֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה בִּשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ סֹלְלָ֖ה וּבִבְנ֣וֹת דָּיֵ֑ק לְהַכְרִ֖ית נְפָשׁ֥וֹת רַבּֽוֹת׃ Pharaoh will not fight at his side with a great army and with numerous troops in the war, when mounds are thrown up and siege towers erected to destroy many lives.
וּבָזָ֥ה אָלָ֖ה לְהָפֵ֣ר בְּרִ֑ית וְהִנֵּ֨ה נָתַ֥ן יָד֛וֹ וְכׇל־אֵ֥לֶּה עָשָׂ֖ה לֹ֥א יִמָּלֵֽט׃ {ס} He flouted a pact and broke a covenant; he gave his promise and did all these things—he shall not escape.
לָכֵ֞ן כֹּה־אָמַ֨ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִה֮ חַי־אָ֒נִי֒ אִם־לֹ֗א אָֽלָתִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּזָ֔ה וּבְרִיתִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֵפִ֑יר וּנְתַתִּ֖יו בְּרֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ Assuredly, thus said the Lord GOD: As I live, I will pay him back for flouting My pact and breaking My covenant.
וּפָרַשְׂתִּ֤י עָלָיו֙ רִשְׁתִּ֔י וְנִתְפַּ֖שׂ בִּמְצוּדָתִ֑י וַהֲבִיאוֹתִ֣יהוּ בָבֶ֗לָה וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּ֤י אִתּוֹ֙ שָׁ֔ם מַעֲל֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָעַל־בִּֽי׃ I will spread My net over him and he shall be caught in My snare; I will carry him to Babylon and enter with him into judgment there for the trespass which he committed against Me.
וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־מִבְרָחָ֤ו בְּכׇל־אֲגַפָּיו֙ בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֔לוּ וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִ֖ים לְכׇל־ר֣וּחַ יִפָּרֵ֑שׂוּ וִידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃ {פ}
And all the fugitivesfMany mss. read “picked men.” of all his battalions shall fall by the sword, and those who remain shall scatter in every direction; then you will know that I the LORD have spoken.
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה וְלָקַ֣חְתִּי אָ֗נִי מִצַּמֶּ֧רֶת הָאֶ֛רֶז הָרָמָ֖ה וְנָתָ֑תִּי מֵרֹ֤אשׁ יֹֽנְקוֹתָיו֙ רַ֣ךְ אֶקְטֹ֔ף וְשָׁתַ֣לְתִּי אָ֔נִי עַ֥ל הַר־גָּבֹ֖הַּ וְתָלֽוּל׃ Thus said the Lord GOD: Then I in turn will take and set [in the ground a slip] from the lofty top of the cedar; I will pluck a tender twig from the tip of its crown, and I will plant it on a tall, towering mountain.
בְּהַ֨ר מְר֤וֹם יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶשְׁתֳּלֶ֔נּוּ וְנָשָׂ֤א עָנָף֙ וְעָ֣שָׂה פֶ֔רִי וְהָיָ֖ה לְאֶ֣רֶז אַדִּ֑יר וְשָׁכְנ֣וּ תַחְתָּ֗יו כֹּ֚ל צִפּ֣וֹר כׇּל־כָּנָ֔ף בְּצֵ֥ל דָּלִיּוֹתָ֖יו תִּשְׁכֹּֽנָּה׃ I will plant it in Israel’s lofty highlands, and it shall bring forth boughs and produce branchesgOthers “fruit.” and grow into a noble cedar. Every bird of every feather shall take shelter under it, shelter in the shade of its boughs.
וְֽיָדְע֞וּ כׇּל־עֲצֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ הִשְׁפַּ֣לְתִּי ׀ עֵ֣ץ גָּבֹ֗הַּ הִגְבַּ֙הְתִּי֙ עֵ֣ץ שָׁפָ֔ל הוֹבַ֙שְׁתִּי֙ עֵ֣ץ לָ֔ח וְהִפְרַ֖חְתִּי עֵ֣ץ יָבֵ֑שׁ אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי וְעָשִֽׂיתִי׃ {פ}
Then shall all the trees of the field know that it is I the LORD who have abased the lofty tree and exalted the lowly tree, who have dried up the green tree and made the withered tree bud. I the LORD have spoken, and I will act.