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And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
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"Son of man, pose a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel,
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and say, 'Thus says the Lord God: "A great eagle with large wings and long pinions, Full of feathers of various colors, Came to Lebanon And took from the cedar the highest branch.
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He cropped off its topmost young twig And carried it to a land of trade; He set it in a city of merchants.
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Then he took some of the seed of the land And planted it in a fertile field; He placed it by abundant waters And set it like a willow tree.
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And it grew and became a spreading vine of low stature; Its branches turned toward him, But its roots were under it. So it became a vine, Brought forth branches, And put forth shoots.
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"But there was another great eagle with large wings and many feathers; And behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, And stretched its branches toward him, From the garden terrace where it had been planted, That he might water it.
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It was planted in good soil by many waters, To bring forth branches, bear fruit, And become a majestic vine." '