Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezekiel 17

Introduction

1  Under the parable of two eagles and a vine,
11  is shewn God's judgment upon Jerusalem for revolting from Babylon to Egypt.
22  God promises to plant the cedar of the Gospel.
Verse 2

Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
20:49, Judges 9:8-15, 14:12-19, 2 Samuel 12:1-4, Hosea 12:10, Matthew 13:13,14,35, Mark 4:33,34, 1 Corinthians 13:12
Verse 3

And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:
A great
Nebuchadnezzar, so called from his towering ambition and rapaciousness.
7,12-21, Deuteronomy 28:49, Jeremiah 4:13, 48:40, 49:16, Lamentations 4:19, Hosea 8:1, Matthew 24:28
great wings
Extensive empire, both in length and breadth.
Daniel 2:38, 4:22, 7:4
full
Numerous subjects, of various nations, and of different languages and manners.
divers colours
Heb. embroidering. came. Came against Judah and Jerusalem.
12, 2 Kings 24:10-16, 2 Chronicles 36:9,10, Jeremiah 22:23-28, 24:1
the highest
Jeconiah, whom he took captive to Babylon.
the cedar
The royal and ancient family of David.
Verse 4

He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.
the top
The princes of Judah.
into
Isaiah 43:14, 47:15, Jeremiah 51:13, Revelation 18:3,11-19
a land
Chaldea. a city. Babylon, which by means of the Euphrates and Tigris, had communications with the richest and most distant nations.
Verse 5

He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.
the seed
Zedekiah, brother to Jeconiah.
13, 2 Kings 24:17, Jeremiah 37:1
planted it in a fruitful field
Heb. put it in a field of seed. Made him king of Judea.
Deuteronomy 8:7-9
he placed
Made him dependent on Babylon, the city of great waters, as the willow is on humidity.
19:11,12, Isaiah 15:7, 44:4
Verse 6

And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.
it grew
14, Proverbs 16:18,19
whose
The Jewish state had then no height of dominion; and Zedekiah was wholly dependent on Nebuchadnezzar.
Verse 7

There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.
another
Pharaoh-hophra, or Apries, king of Egypt.
15, 2 Kings 24:20, 2 Chronicles 26:13, Jeremiah 37:5-7
did bend
Looked to him for support, in his intended rebellion.
Verse 8

It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.
soil
Heb. field.
5,6
and that
Though he was dependent on Babylon, yet he was in such a situation as would have enabled him to reign in credit, and be useful to his people.
Verse 9

Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.
Shall it
Shall he succeed in casting off the yoke of the king of Babylon, to whom he had sworn fealty?
10,15-17, Numbers 14:41, 2 Chronicles 13:12, 20:20, Isaiah 8:9,10, 30:1-7, 31:1-3, Jeremiah 32:5
shall he
He shall come and dethrone him, and carry him captive.
2 Kings 25:4-7, Jeremiah 21:4-7, 24:8-10, 29:4-7, 52:7-11
the fruit
The children of Zedekiah.
even
Jeremiah 37:10
Verse 10

Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.
shall it
19:12-14, Hosea 12:1, 13:15, Matthew 21:19, Mark 11:20, John 15:6, Jude 1:12
Verse 12

Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon;
to the
2:5,8, 3:9, 12:9, Isaiah 1:2
Know
24:19, Exodus 12:26, Deuteronomy 6:20, Joshua 4:6,21, Matthew 13:51, 15:16,17, 16:11, Mark 4:13, Luke 9:45, Acts 8:30
Behold
3, 1:2, 2 Kings 24:10-16, 2 Chronicles 36:9,10, Jeremiah 22:24-28
and led
Isaiah 39:7, Jeremiah 52:31-34
Verse 13

And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:
hath taken
5, 2 Kings 24:17, Jeremiah 37:1
taken an oath of him
Heb. brought him to an oath.
2 Chronicles 36:13, Jeremiah 5:2
he hath also
2 Kings 24:15,16, Jeremiah 24:1, 29:2
Verse 14

That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.
the kingdom
6, 29:14, Deuteronomy 28:43, 1 Samuel 2:7,30, Nehemiah 9:36,37, Lamentations 5:10, Matthew 22:17-21
base
Or, low; a tributary kingdom, dependent on the king of Babylon.
but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand
Heb. to keep his covenant, to stand to it.
Jeremiah 27:12-17, 38:17
Verse 15

But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?
he rebelled
7, 2 Kings 24:20, 2 Chronicles 36:13, Jeremiah 52:3
in
Deuteronomy 17:16, Isaiah 30:1-4, 31:1-3, 36:6-9, Jeremiah 37:5-7
Shall he prosper
9, Deuteronomy 29:12-15, Jeremiah 22:29,30
shall he escape
18, 21:25, Proverbs 19:5, Jeremiah 32:4, 34:3, 38:18,23, Matthew 23:33, Hebrews 2:3
or shall
Psalms 55:23
Verse 16

As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.
whose oath
18,19, 16:59, Exodus 20:7, Numbers 30:2, Joshua 9:20, 2 Samuel 21:2, Psalms 15:4, Exodus 8:2, Hosea 10:4, Zechariah 5:3,4, Malachi 3:5, Romans 1:31, 1 Timothy 1:10, 2 Timothy 3:3
even
10, 12:13, Jeremiah 32:4,5, 34:3-5, 39:7, 52:11
Verse 17

Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:
shall
29:6,7, Isaiah 36:6, Jeremiah 37:7, Lamentations 4:17
by
4:2, Jeremiah 33:5, 52:4
Verse 18

Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.
Seeing
Though Zedekiah's oath had been given to a heathen, a conqueror, and a tyrant, yet God considered the violation of it a most aggravated sin against Him, and determined to punish him for it.
lo, he
1 Chronicles 29:24, 2 Chronicles 30:8; *margins; Lamentations 5:6
he shall
Verse 19

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.
surely
21:23-27, Deuteronomy 5:11, Jeremiah 5:2,9, 7:9-15
Verse 20

And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.
I will spread
12:13, 32:3, Joshua 10:16-18, 2 Samuel 18:9, 2 Chronicles 33:11, Job 10:16, Ecclesiastes 9:12, Jeremiah 39:5-7, Lamentations 1:13, 4:20, Hosea 7:12, Luke 21:35
plead
20:35,36, 38:22, Jeremiah 2:9,35, 50:44, Hosea 2:2, Micah 6:2
Verse 21

And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it.
all his fugitives
5:12, 12:14, 2 Kings 25:5,11, Jeremiah 48:44, 52:8, Amos 9:1,9,10
shall know
6:7,10, 13:14,23, 15:7, Isaiah 26:11
Verse 22

Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
highest
34:29, Psalms 80:15, Isaiah 4:2, 11:1-5, Jeremiah 23:5,6, 33:15,16, Zechariah 3:8, Zechariah 4:12-14, 6:12,13
a tender
Isaiah 53:2
upon
20:40, 40:2, Psalms 2:6, 72:16, Isaiah 2:2,3, Daniel 2:35,44,45, Micah 4:1
Verse 23

In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.
and it
Psalms 92:12,13, Isaiah 27:6, John 12:24, 15:5-8
under
31:6, Genesis 49:10, Psalms 22:27-30, 72:8-11, Isaiah 2:2, 11:6-10, 49:18, Isaiah 60:4-12, Daniel 4:10-14,21-23, Hosea 14:7, Matthew 13:32,47,48, Luke 14:21-23, Acts 10:11,12, Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11, Revelation 11:15
Verse 24

And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.
all the trees
Psalms 96:11,12, Isaiah 55:12,13
have brought
1 Samuel 2:7,8, Job 5:11, 40:12, Psalms 75:6,7, 89:38,45, Isaiah 2:13,14, 9:6,7, Isaiah 11:1-9, 26:5, Amos 9:11, Luke 1:33,52,53, 1 Corinthians 1:27,28
I the Lord have spoken
12:25, 22:14, 24:14, Matthew 24:35, Luke 21:33

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