Ezekiel 17

Under the parable of two eagles and two vine-branches, the prophet figuratively expresses the carrying away Jehoiachin into captivity by the king of Babylon, who made Zedekiah king in his stead. He aftenvard revolted from the king of Babylon, whose vassal he was, and entered into an alliance with the king of Egypt. For this breach of his oath and fidelity, God threatens to make him captive to that very king from whom he had revolted. scnted by eagles, who are birds of prey, and remarkable for their swiftness. (Sec Deut. xxviii. 49. Jcr. iv. 13. IIos. viii.l.) Long winged.] The LXX. and other interpreters translate tho word from the Chaldco sense of it, of a great size; to avoid the repetition of tho same sense over again. Came to Lebanon, and cropped off the highest branch of the cedar.] i.e. Invaded Judea, or invested Jerusalem, and took king Jehoiachin captive. (Sco ver. 12. and compare Jer. xxii. 23.)

Ezekiel 17:2

JlUT forth a riddle. i. e. A continued metaphor; or figurative speech, still pursuing the allegory of an eagle and vine in the several parts of the parable: this perhaps may make the hearers more attentive to what thou spcakest. Vcr. 3. An eagle with great wings.] That is, the king of Babylon. (Soever. 12.) Conquerors are elsewhere reprc-

Ezekiel 17:4

And carried it into a land of traffic. Babylon and the country about it, being the seat of a universal monarchy, must needs have been a place of great trading. Strabo takes notice, that the merchants who travelled by land to Babylon, went through the country of the Arabians called Scenita; (lib. xvi. p. 747.) and vessels of great burden came up to the walls of it from the Persian Gulf up the Euphrates. (See Pliny’s Nat. Hist. lib. vi. cap. 2G.)

Ezekiel 17:5

He took also of the seed of the land. Of the king’s seed, as it is explained ver. 13. i. e. Zedekiah. And planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it bij great waters, and set it as a willow-tree.] Judea was a fruitful country, and well watered; (see Deut. viii. 7.) where Zedekiah flourished as a willow-tree, that thriveth best in a moist ground. (See Isa. xliv. 4.)

Ezekiel 17:6

And it grew and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned towards him, and the roots thereof were under him. Though he flourished, yet he enjoyed but a tributary kingdom under the king of Babylon, and acknowledged him as his lord and sovereign. (Sec ver. 14.)

Ezekiel 17:7

Tliere was also another great eagle, &c. Pharaoh king of Egypt, with whom Zedekiah made an alliance; whereupon that king sent an army to raise the siege of Jerusalem. (See 2 Chron. xxxvi. 13. Jer. xxxvii. 5. 7.) This vine did bend her roots towards him, and shot forth her branches towards him, &c] Zedekiah desired the king of Egypt’s assistance and protection. Some render the words thus, Shot forth her branches tinder him from the furrows where she was planted, that he might water it.

Ezekiel 17:8

Jt was planted in a good soil, &c. The words are to the same purpose with ver. 5. to shew that Zedekiah’s condition was so good under the king of Babylon, that he needed not to have broke his oath, out of a desire to better it; whereby he involved himself and his country in ruin. (See 2 Kings xxiv. 20. and the note upon Jer. xvii. 25.)

Ezekiel 17:9

Shall he not pull up the roots thereof? &c. Nebuchadnezzar, in return for this pcrfidiousness, shall destroy him and his family. (See 2 Kings xxv. 7.) Even without great power.] God will appear visibly on the Chaldeans’ side, so there will be no need of great force to subdue their enemies. (See Jer. xxi. 4. xxxvii. 10.)

Ezekiel 17:10

Shall it not utterly xoither when the east wind toucheth it?. The prophet compares the Chaldean army to a parching wind, that blasts the fruits of the earth, withers the leaves of the trees, and makes every thing look naked and bare. (See xix. 12. Isa. xxvii. 8. Jcr. iv. 11. Hos. xiii. 15.) Vcr.12. Say now to the rebellious house.] Sccii. 5. xii. 9. Know ye not what these things mean?] Will ye not apply your minds to understand what God speaks to you-? And that, whether he directs his speech to you in plain words, or delivers his mind in riddles and parables? (Sec xii.2. 9. xx. 49.) And hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof] Jeconiah, and all his princes and offices. (See 2 Kings xxiv. 12.)

Ezekiel 17:13

And hath taken of the king’s seed— and hath taken an oath of him. Hath made Zedekiah swear an oath of fealty to him. (Sec 2 Chron. xxxvi. 13.) He hath also taken the mighty of the land.] As hostages for tho performance of the covenants agreed between him and Zedekiah.

Ezekiel 17:14

Tliat the kingdom might be base, &c. Zedekiah by this means became only a tributary king, (compare xxix. 14.) and consequently not in so honourable a condition as his predecessors had been; but yet this was the only means under the present circumstances to support himself and his government.

Ezekiel 17:15

But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. See the note on ver. 7. Egypt was a country that abounded in horses, of which there was great scarcity in Judea. (Seel Kings ix. 28. Isa.xxxi.l. xxxvi. 9.) Shall heprosper? &c] This was not only a violation of his oath and covenant, but likewise a breach of that part of the Jewish law, (Deut. xvii. 16.) which expressly forbade their king to fetch horses out of Egypt, or strengthen himself with the alliance of that people.

Ezekiel 17:16

In the midst of Babylon he shall die. Whither he shall be carried prisoner. (See xii. 13.)

Ezekiel 17:17

Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army make for him. Sec Jer. xxxvii. 7,,. By casting up mounts.~] See Jer. xxxii. 7.

Ezekiel 17:18

When, lo, he hath given his hand. In token of entering into a mutual league and covenant. (See Isa. xii. 13.) Particularly it was a ceremony used when an inferior made profession of his subjection to his superior: see 1 Chron. xxix. 24. Jer. 1. 15. Lam. v. 6, where we read that the princes and mighty men submitted themselves to Solomon the king; but in the original it is, they gave the hand under Solomon.

Ezekiel 17:20

And I will spread my net upon him. Sec xii. 13. And will plead with him there for his trespass.] God is said to plead with men, when he places their sins before their, eyes, and convinces them of their disobedience by manifest tokens of his vengeance. (See xx.36, xxxviii.22.)

Ezekiel 17:21

And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword. See xii. 14.

Ezekiel 17:22

/ will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it. The prophet, pursuing the same metaphor, foretells the restoration of the royal family of David, in such terms as might in some degree be fulfilled, at tho return from the captivity, when Zcrubbabel, of the lineage of David, had a shadow of kingly authority among tho Jews, and by his means their church and constitution was again, restored. But the words do more properly belong to Christ and his kingdom, which shall be extended over, all the world. I wilt crop off from the young twigs a tender one.] This description may fitly be applied to our Saviour, in respect to the low estate to which the family of David was then reduced, with great humility acknowledged by his mother, Luke i. 48. The meanness of his outward condition and