Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 19:11
And she had strong rods for the scepters of them that bore rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.
11. sceptres bare rule ] Or, for rulers’ sceptres, i.e. royal sceptres. Out of Israel this vine there rose powerful native kings.
among the thick branches ] Or, into the clouds, cf. Eze 31:3; Eze 31:10; Eze 31:14. The phrase is designedly hyperbolical, to express the power of Israel in earlier times. Jer 11:16-17.
appeared in her height ] Lit. was seen conspicuously and from afar.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Sceptres – Gen 49:10.
The thick branches – Or, the clouds; so Eze 31:3, Eze 31:10, Eze 31:14.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Eze 19:11-12
And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule.
The renewal of ruined nations
1. States and kingdoms broken to pieces, ruined in times of war and trouble, do flourish again in times of quiet and silence. Peace after war is like spring after a sharp winter, which revives, causeth growth and greenness; yet know that states ruined by tyranny of princes, by wars, do not suddenly recover themselves, or attain to their former greatness and splendour: though Jerusalem became a vine after the roaring and spoil of Jehoiakim, yet she was a vine of a low stature.
2. It is through the mercy, goodness, and blessing of God that wasted kingdoms do become as vines, and flourish again.
3. When mercies are multiplied, men are apt to abuse them, and swell with the enjoyment of them. Prosperity is a dangerous thing, and hath hazarded many (Isa 47:5; Isa 47:7). After Hezekiah had received many mercies, his heart was lifted up (2Ch 32:23-25). Rehoboam, when he was strengthened in the kingdom, forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him; here was a sad effect of prosperity (2Ch 12:1). (W. Greenhill, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 11. She had strong rods] Zedekiah, and his many sons.
Her stature was exalted] Zedekiah grew proud of his numerous offspring and prosperity; and although he copied the example of Jehoiakim, yet he thought he might safely rebel against the king of Babylon.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Strong rods; many excellent persons endowed with qualifications befitting kings, that they might sway the sceptre, and rule the people with equity.
Her stature; the grandeur of the kings and kingdom.
Exalted among the thick branches; exalted above the ordinary majesty of other kingdoms.
The thick branches; the goodly cedars and their thick branches; i.e. this kingdom equalled, if not excelled, the greatest neighbour kingdoms, and her kings, as David, Solomon, &c. exceeded all their neighbour kings in riches and power.
She appeared in her height; like a mighty tree, that overtops all the forest, so did this goodly kingdom over all kingdoms, and it was seen and noted, according to Gods promise that it should be the head, and not the tail, and to that Deu 4:6-8.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. strong rodsprinces of theroyal house of David. The vine shot forth her branches like so manyscepters, not creeping lowly on the ground like many vines, buttrained aloft on a tree or wall. The mention of their former royaldignity, contrasting sadly with her present sunken state, wouldremind the Jews of their sins whereby they had incurred suchjudgments.
stature (Da4:11).
among the thick branchesthatis, the central stock or trunk of the tree shot up highest “amongits own branches” or offshoots, surrounding it. Emblematic ofthe numbers and resources of the people. HENGSTENBERGtranslates, “among the clouds.” But Eze 31:3;Eze 31:10; Eze 31:14,supports English Version.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bear rule,…. That is, many sprung from her, and rose up in that nation who were fit to hold sceptres to be kings, rulers and governors, and were such. So the Targum.
“and there were in her strong rulers, kings that were, highly to subdue kingdoms;”
such as David, Solomon, and at hers after them: or this may refer to the times of Josiah, and at his death, who left behind him several sons, who became kings, besides other princes of the blood; as his brother Mattaniah, who also was king: and some even carry this to Zedekiah himself, who had many children, who seemed to be strong rods, fit for sceptres, or sceptre bearers; that is, to be kings. The allusion seems to be to the sceptres of the ancients, which were no other than walking sticks, cut off of the stems or branches of trees, and decorated with gold, or studded with golden nails. Thus Achilles is introduced by Homer c as swearing by a sceptre; which, being cut off of a trunk of a tree left on the mountains, and stripped of its bark and leaves, should never more produce leaves and branches, or sprout again: and such an one, he observes, the Grecian judges,
, carry in their hands. Sometimes they were made of the “oleaster” d, or wild olive, the same as a shepherd’s staff; for what shepherds were to their flocks, that were kings to men;
and her stature was exalted among the thick branches; as the body and trunk of a tree rises up higher than the branches, which are thickest about the middle of it, and so more eminent and conspicuous; thus it was with the nation of the Jews, and the royal family in it, that appeared more glorious and excellent among the nobles and princes of it; or, as the Targum expresses it,
“it was lifted up in its strength above its own kingdom;”
or rather the sense is, that in the days of David and Solomon, and some others, it greatly exceeded all the kingdoms of the nations round about it:
and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches; was seen and taken notice of for the multitude of her people, and the grandeur of her state.
c Iliad. 1. l. 234, &c. d Paschal. de Coronis, l. 6. c. 19. p. 406, 407.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He adds, she had branches, that is, vine twigs, for the scepters of those who bear rule. Those who translate with or above the scepters of rulers do not seem to me to comprehend the Prophet’s meaning. I have no doubt he intends that scepters were gathered from these vine branches, or rather that they were so formed as to be like royal scepters. Although this translation seems rather rough, yet the sense is not doubtful; because the Prophet means that kings were taken from the people just as branches from the vine, as God chose king’s from David to Zedekiah. In this sense he says that the vine branches became scepters of the rulers. He afterwards adds, her stature was conspicuous, that she was remarkable for her loftiness even in the multitude of the vine branches. This is extended to the whole body of the people. Since mention is made of the king, there is no doubt that God commends his grace towards the whole people, whose safety and happiness were placed in the king, as we saw elsewhere. But he asserts more clearly that the people had increased, so that they excelled in population, power, and wealth. On the whole, the Prophet teaches that the Jews were adorned from the beginning with all kinds of advantages, since God’s best gifts shone forth there, and their dignity was conspicuous, and their opulence great, since he unites the multitude of the boughs or vine branches with their height.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) Thick branches should rather be translated clouds. It is a hyperbolical expression in the figure, to express the excellence of the vine of Israel.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. Rods Perhaps, a strong rod (LXX.).
For Rather, growing up into.
Scepters of them that bare rule Rather, for royal scepters (or, “rulers’ staffs”).
Among the thick branches Rather, high among the clouds, or, as Kautzsch, high up between thick twigs. (Compare Orelli.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Eze 19:11. And she had strong rods Zedekiah had many sons, who were like branches coming forth from the tree whereof the prophet speaks here. This vine exalted and flattered herself with the multitude of her branches; Zedekiah forgot God, and imitated the crimes of Jehoiachim, whom the Scripture reproaches with pride, ambition, cruelty, and injustice. See Jer 22:13-14; Jer 22:30. In several countries they join the vines to trees, about which they wind themselves, and run very high. See Michaelis.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 19:11 And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.
Ver. 11. And she had strong rods for sceptres. ] So firm were the branches of this vine, so many and likely to succeed him in the kingdom were Zedekiah’s children; his nobles also were men of great parts, and fit for greater employments.
And she appeared in her height.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
she had: Many powerful sovereigns, who rendered Judah very considerable among the nations. Eze 19:12, Eze 19:14, Eze 21:10, Eze 21:13, Gen 49:10, Num 24:7-9, Num 24:17, Ezr 4:20, Ezr 5:11, Psa 2:8, Psa 2:9, Psa 80:15, Psa 80:17, Psa 110:2, Isa 11:1
her stature: Eze 31:3, Dan 4:11, Dan 4:20, Dan 4:21
Reciprocal: Gen 49:22 – a fruitful Jer 48:17 – How Eze 17:5 – he placed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 19:11. Here are some more figures and they refer to the standing that Judah enjoyed as a nation among nations. This state of exaltation seems to have filled her with pride and a disregard for her obligation to the Lord.