1 10<\/strong>. The riddle of the great eagle<\/p>\n (1) Eze 17:1-4<\/em><\/span> introduction. The great, broadwinged, speckled eagle came to Lebanon, and broke off the top of the cedar, carrying it to the merchant-land, Babylon the captivity of Jehoiachin by Nebuchadnezzar.<\/p>\n (2) Eze 17:5-6<\/em><\/span>. He took also of the seed of the land and planted it beside the waters that it might be a spreading vine, and might turn its branches towards him who had planted it the elevation to the throne by Nebuchadnezzar of Zedekiah as a feudatory monarch.<\/p>\n (3) Eze 17:7-8<\/em><\/span>. There was another great eagle, and the vine bent its roots and sent out its branches towards him Zedekiah sought the alliance and protection of the king of Egypt.<\/p>\n (4) Eze 17:9-10<\/em><\/span>. Denunciation of the vine for its treachery. The east wind shall blow on it and it shall wither.<\/p>\n Ezekiel, after describing by a figure the circumstances and conditions of the Jews and Zedekiah, the vassal of the Assyrian monarch, warns them of the delusive character of their hopes of help from Egypt, protests against the perfidy which must accompany such alliance, and points out that the restoration of the people of God will be effected by a very different son of David. The close of this chapter is a striking prediction of the kingdom of the Messiah.<\/P><\/p>\n Eze 17:1-10<\/span><\/p>\n Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Prophecy in parable<\/strong><\/p>\n The word riddle may in this connection mean parable, picture, symbol; whatever will excite and interest the imagination. If the zephyr has not voice enough to arrest us, God will employ the thunder; if the little silvery streamlet, hurrying through its green banks, has nothing to say to us, the great floods shall lift up their voices and compel us to attend. Who will say there is only one way of preaching, teaching, educating young men? There are a thousand ways: what we want is that a young man shall say when his way is not being adopted. This will suit a good many: God bless the teacher in this effort; he is not now speaking to me, but to persons who can understand that way alone; let heavens grace make hearts tender as he unravels his parable, as he takes up his harp and discourses upon its sweet, mysterious music. When a preacher is setting forth riddle and parable, the man who falsely thinks himself a logician–for there can only be a logician once in a generation–should pray that the parable may be blessed. When the preacher or teacher is seeking by hard, strong argument to force home a truth, those who live on wings should carry themselves as high as possible that they may bring down a larger, riper blessing upon the teacher and his method. This is Gods administration: this is the many-coloured robe of providence with which He would clothe our naked shoulders. What has come to us–a riddle, a parable, a dream, a process of logic, a historical induction? Take Gods gift, and through it find the Giver. (J. Parker, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Truth taught through the imagination<\/strong><\/p>\n The imagination is the grand organ whereby truth can make successful approaches to the mind. Some preachers deal much with the passions: they attack the hopes and fears of men; but this is a very different thing from the right use of the imagination, as the medium of impressing truth. Jesus Christ has left perfect patterns of this way of managing men; but it is a distinct talent, and a talent committed to very few. It is an easy thing to move the passions: a rude, blunt, illiterate attack may do this; but to form one new figure for the conveyance of truth to the mind is a difficult thing. The world is under no small obligation to the man who forms such a figure . . . The figure of Jesus Christ (the Parables) sink into the mind, and leave there the indelible impress of the truth which they convey. (Cecil<\/em>s Remains.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Illustrating the truth<\/strong><\/p>\n The subject matter of Christian teaching preeminently requires illustration. The barrister has, in a new case, that which stimulates attention, while the preacher has an oft-told tale to set before his people. (Andrew Fuller.<\/em>)<\/p>\n CHAPTER XVII <\/P> This chapter begins with a new allegory or parable<\/I>, 1-10;<\/P> to which an explanation is immediately subjoined<\/I>, 11-21.<\/P> In the remaining verses the prophet, by a beautiful metaphor,<\/I><\/P> makes an easy and natural transition to the Messiah, and<\/I><\/P> predicts the security, increasing prosperity, and ultimate<\/I><\/P> universality of his kingdom<\/I>, 22-24.<\/P> From the beauty of its images, the elegance of its composition,<\/I><\/P> the perspicuity of its language, the rich variety of its<\/I><\/P> matter, and the easy transition from one part of the subject to<\/I><\/P> another, this chapter forms one of the most beautiful and<\/I><\/P> perfect pieces of its kind that can possibly be conceived in so<\/I><\/P> small a compass; and then the unexpected change from objects<\/I><\/P> that presented nothing to the view but gloom and horror, to a<\/I><\/P> prospect of ineffable glory and beauty, has a most happy<\/I><\/P> effect. Every lowering cloud is dispelled, and the fields again<\/I><\/P> smile in the beams of midday. The traveller, who this moment<\/I><\/P> trembled as he looked around for shelter, now proceeds on his<\/I><\/P> way rejoicing.<\/I> <\/P> NOTES ON CHAP. XVII<\/P><\/p>\n And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying.<\/strong> After the prophet had been sent to charge the Jews with breaking the covenant with God, he is sent to rebuke and threaten them for breaking covenant with men, even with the king of Babylon; by whom they were in part carried into captivity, and another part remained in the land, as will be hereafter seen.<\/p>\n The Parable<\/p>\n Eze 17:1<\/span>. And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, <\/em> Eze 17:2<\/span>. Son of man, give a riddle, and relate a parable to the house of Israel; <\/em> Eze 17:3<\/span>. And say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, A great eagle, with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers of variegated colours, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar: <\/em> Eze 17:4<\/span>. He plucked off the topmost of its shoots, and brought it into Canaan’s land; in a merchant-city he set it. <\/em> Eze 17:5<\/span>. And he took of the seed of the land, and put it into seed-land; took it away to many waters, set it as a willow. <\/em> Eze 17:6<\/span>. And it grew, and became an overhanging vine of low stature, that its branches might turn towards him, and its roots might be under him; and it became a vine, and produced shoots, and sent out foliage. <\/em> Eze 17:7<\/span>. There was another great eagle with great wings and many feathers; and, behold, this vine stretched its roots languishingly towards him, and extended its branches towards him, that he might water it from the beds of its planting. <\/em> Eze 17:8<\/span>. It was planted in a good field by many waters, to send out roots and bear fruit, to become a glorious vine. <\/em> Eze 17:9<\/span>. Say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Will it thrive? will they not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, so that it withereth? all the fresh leaves of its sprouting will wither, and not with strong arm and with much people will it be possible to raise it up from its roots. <\/em> Eze 17:10<\/span>. And, behold, although it is planted, will it thrive? will it not wither when the east wind touches it? upon the beds in which it grew it will wither.<\/em> <\/p>\n The parable ( mashal <\/em>, corresponding exactly to the New Testament ) is called chidhah <\/em>, a riddle, because of the deeper meaning lying beneath the parabolic shell. The symbolism of this parable has been traced by many commentators to Babylonian influences working upon the prophet’s mind; but without any tenable ground. The figure of the eagle, or bird of prey, applied to a conqueror making a rapid descent upon a country, has as little in it of a specifically Babylonian character as the comparison of the royal family to a cedar or a vine. Not only is Nebuchadnezzar compared to an eagle in Jer 48:40<\/span>; Jer 49:22<\/span>, as Cyrus is to a bird of prey in Isa 46:11<\/span>; but even Moses has described the paternal watchfulness of God over His own people as bearing them upon eagle’s wings (Exo 19:4<\/span>; Deu 32:11<\/span>). The cedar of Lebanon and the vine are genuine Israelitish figures. The great eagle in Eze 17:3<\/span> is the great King Nebuchadnezzar (compare Eze 17:12<\/span>). The article is simply used to indicate the species, for which we should use the indefinite article. In Eze 17:7<\/span>, instead of the article, we have in the sense of “another.” This first eagle has large wings and long pinions; he has already flown victoriously over wide-spread countries. , literally, which is to him the variegated ornament, i.e., which he has as such an ornament. The feathers of variegated ornamental colours point to the many peoples, differing in language, manners, and customs, which were united under the sceptre of Nebuchadnezzar (Hitzig, etc.); not to the wealth and splendour of the conqueror, as such an allusion is altogether remote from the tendency of the parable. He came to Lebanon. This is not a symbol of the Israelitish land, or of the kingdom of Judah; but, as in Jer 22:23<\/span>, of Jerusalem, or Mount Zion, with its royal palace so rich in cedar wood (see the comm. on Hab 2:17<\/span> and Zec 11:1<\/span>), as being the place where the cedar was planted (compare the remarks on Eze 17:12<\/span>). The cedar is the royal house of David, and the top of it is King Jehoiachin. The word tzammereth <\/em> is only met with in Ezekiel, and there only for the top of a cedar (compare Eze 31:3<\/span>.). The primary meaning is doubtful. Some derive it from the curly, or, as it were, woolly top of the older cedars, in which the small twigs that constitute their foliage are only found at the top of the tree. Others suppose it to be connected with the Arabic dmr <\/em>, to conceal, and understand it as an epithet applied to the foliage, as the veil or covering of the tree. In v. 4, tzammereth <\/em> is explained to be , the topmost of its shoots. This the eagle plucked off and carried , an epithet applied to Babylonia here and in Eze 16:29<\/span>, as being a land whose trading spirit had turned it into a Canaan. This is evident from the parallel , city of traders, i.e., Babylon (compare Eze 17:12<\/span>). The seed of the land, according to Eze 16:13<\/span>, is King Zedekiah, because he was of the land, the native king, in contrast to a foreign, Babylonian governor.<\/p>\n , for , after the analogy of in Hos 11:3<\/span>, and pointed with Kametz to distinguish it from the imperative. is used as in Num 23:27<\/span>. The . . signifies, in Arabic and the Talmud, the willow, probably so called because it grows in well-watered places; according to Gesenius, it is derived from , to overflow, literally, the inundated tree. This meaning is perfectly appropriate here. “He set it as a willow” means he treated it as one, inasmuch as he took it to many waters, set it in a well-watered soil, i.e., in a suitable place. The cutting grew into an overhanging vine, i.e., to a vine spreading out its branches in all directions, though not growing very high, as the following expression more clearly shows. The object of this growth was, that its branches might turn to him (the eagle), and its roots might be under him (the eagle). The suffixes attached to and refer to . This allusion is required not only by the explanation in Eze 17:14<\/span> (? Eze 17:14<\/span>, Eze 17:15<\/span>), but also by Eze 17:7<\/span>, where the roots and branches of the vine stretch to the (other) eagle. In Eze 17:6<\/span><\/em>, what has already been affirmed concerning the growth is briefly summed up again. The form is peculiar to Ezekiel. Isaiah has sah h = in Ezekiel 10:33. The word signifies branch and foliage, or a branch covered with foliage, as the ornament of a tree. – The other eagle mentioned in Eze 17:7<\/span> is the king of Egypt, according to Eze 17:15<\/span>. He had also large wings and many feathers, i.e., a widely spread and powerful kingdom; but there is nothing said about pinions and variegated colours, for Pharaoh had not spread out his kingdom over many countries and peoples, or subjugated a variegated medley of peoples and tribes. , as a verb . . ., signifies to yearn or pine after a thing; in Chaldee, to hunger. , that he (the eagle-Pharaoh) might give it to drink, or water it. The words are not connected with , but with and , form the beds of its planting, i.e., in which it was planted; it stretched out roots and branches to the other eagle, that he might give it to drink. The interpretation is given in Eze 17:15<\/span>. The words , which are added by way of explanation, do not interrupt the train of thought; nor are they superfluous, as Hitzig supposes, because the vine had water enough already (Eze 17:5<\/span> and Eze 17:8<\/span>). For this is precisely what the passage is intended to show, namely, that there was no occasion for this pining and stretching out of the branches towards the other eagle, inasmuch as it could thrive very well in the place where it was planted. The latter is expressly stated once more in Eze 17:8<\/span>, the meaning of which is perfectly clear, – namely, that if Zedekiah had remained quiet under Nebuchadnezzar, as a hanging vine, his government might have continued and prospered. But, asks Ezekiel in the name of the Lord, will it prosper? is a question, and the third person, neuter gender. This question is answered in the negative by the following question, which is introduced with an affirmative . The subject to and dna is not the first eagle (Nebuchadnezzar), but the indefinite “one” ( man<\/em>, they). In the last clause of v. 9 is a substantive formation, used instead of the simple form of the infinitive, after the form in 2Ch 19:7<\/span>, with the termination , borrowed from the verb ‘ (compare Ewald, 160 b<\/em> and 239 a<\/em>), and the construction is the same as in Amo 6:10<\/span>: it will not be to raise up = it will not be possible to raise it up (compare Ges. 132, 3, Anm. 1). To raise it up from its root does not mean to tear it up by the root (Hvernick), but to rear the withered vine from its roots again, to cause it to sprout again. This rendering of the words corresponds to the interpretation given in Eze 17:17<\/span>. – In Eze 17:10<\/span> the leading thought is repeated with emphasis, and rounded off. The east wind is peculiarly dangerous to plants on account of its dryness (compare Gen 41:6<\/span>, and Wetstein on Job 27:21<\/span> in Delitzsch’s Commentary<\/em>); and it is used very appropriately here, as the Chaldeans came from the east.<\/p>\n The Parable of the Eagles; The Parable Explained; Ruin of Zedekiah Predicted.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/I><\/span><\/P> <\/TD> B. C.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN> 593.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> <\/TABLE> 1 And the word of the LORD<\/B> came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel; 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD<\/B>; A great eagle with great wings, long-winged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar: 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. 5 He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it<\/I> by great waters, and<\/I> set it as<\/I> a willow tree. 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. 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. 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. 9 Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD<\/B>; 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. 10 Yea, behold, being<\/I> planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew. 11 Moreover the word of the LORD<\/B> came unto me, saying, 12 Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean?<\/I> tell them,<\/I> 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; 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: 14 That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but<\/I> that by keeping of his covenant it might stand. 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?<\/I> or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered? 16 As<\/I> I live, saith the Lord GOD<\/B>, surely in the place where<\/I> the king dwelleth<\/I> that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even<\/I> with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. 17 Neither shall Pharaoh with his<\/I> mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons: 18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things,<\/I> he shall not escape. 19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD<\/B>; As<\/I> 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. 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. 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<\/B> have spoken it.<\/I><\/P> We must take all these verses together, that we may have the parable and the explanation of it at one view before us, because they will illustrate one another. 1. The prophet is appointed to put forth a riddle<\/I> to the house of Israel<\/I> (v.<\/I><\/span> 2<\/span>), not to puzzle them, as Samson’s riddle was put forth to the Philistines, not to hide the mind of God from them in obscurity, or to leave them in uncertainty about it, one advancing one conjecture and another another, as is usual in expounding riddles; no, he is immediately to tell them the meaning of it. Let him that speaks in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret,<\/I> 1 Cor. xiv. 13<\/I><\/span>. But he must deliver this message in a riddle or parable that they might take the more notice of it, might be the more affected with it themselves, and might the better remember it and tell it to others. For these reasons God often used similitudes by his servants the prophets, and Christ himself opened his mouth in parables.<\/I> Riddles and parables are used for an amusement to ourselves and an entertainment to our friends. The prophet must make use of these to see if in this dress the things of God might find acceptance, and insinuate themselves into the minds of a careless people. Note, Ministers should study to find out acceptable words, and try various methods to do good; and, as far as they have reason to think will be for edification, should both bring that which is familiar into their preaching and their preaching too into their familiar discourse, that there may not be so vast a dissimilitude as with some there is between what they say in the pulpit and what they say out. 2. He is appointed to expound this riddle to the rebellious house,<\/I> v.<\/span> 12<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. Though being rebellious<\/I> they might justly have been left in ignorance, to see and hear and not perceive, yet the thing shall be explained to them: Know you not what these things mean?<\/I> Those that knew the story, and what was now in agitation, might make a shrewd guess at the meaning of this riddle, but, that they might be left without excuse, he is to give it to them in plain terms, stripped of the metaphor. But the enigma was first propounded for them to study on awhile, and to send to their friends at Jerusalem, that they might enquire after and expect the solution of it some time after.<\/P> Let us now see what the matter of this message is.<\/P> I. Nebuchadnezzar had some time ago carried off Jehoiachin, the same that was called Jeconiah,<\/I> when he was but eighteen years of age and had reigned in Jerusalem but three months,<\/I> him and his princes and great men, and had brought them captives to Babylon, 2 Kings xxiv. 12<\/span>. This in the parable is represented by an eagle’s cropping the top and tender branch of a cedar,<\/I> and carrying it into a land of traffic,<\/I> a city of merchants<\/I> (Eze 17:3<\/span>; Eze 17:4<\/span>), which is explained v.<\/I><\/span> 12<\/span>. The king of Babylon<\/I> took the king of Jerusalem,<\/I> who was no more able to resist him than a young twig of a tree is to contend with the strongest bird of prey, that easily crops it off, perhaps towards the making of her nest.<\/I> Nebuchadnezzar, in Daniel’s vision, is a lion,<\/I> the king of beasts (Dan. vii. 4<\/span>); there he has eagle’s wings,<\/I> so swift were his motions, so speedy were his conquests. Here, in this parable, he is an eagle,<\/I> the king of birds, a great eagle,<\/I> that lives upon spoil and rapine, whose young ones suck up blood,<\/I> Job xxxix. 30<\/I><\/span>. His dominion extends itself far and wide, like the great and long wings of an eagle; the people are numerous, for it is full of feathers;<\/I> the court is splendid, for it has divers colours,<\/I> which look like embroidering,<\/I> as the word is. Jerusalem is Lebanon, a forest of houses, and very pleasant. The royal family is the cedar;<\/I> Jehoiachin is the top branch,<\/I> the top of the young twigs,<\/I> which he crops off. Babylon is the land of traffic<\/I> and city of merchants<\/I> where it is set. And the king of Judah, being of the house of David, will think himself much degraded and disgraced to be lodged among tradesmen; but he must make the best of it.<\/P> II. When he carried him to Babylon he made his uncle Zedekiah king in his room, Eze 17:5<\/span>; Eze 17:6<\/span>. His name was Mattaniah–the gift of the Lord,<\/I> which Nebuchadnezzar changed into Zedekiah–the justice of the Lord,<\/I> to remind him to be just like the God he called his, for fear of his justice. This was one of the seed of the land,<\/I> a native, not a foreigner, not one of his Babylonian princes; he was planted in a fruitful field,<\/I> for so Jerusalem as yet was; he placed it by great waters,<\/I> where it would be likely to grow, like a willow-tree,<\/I> which grows quickly, and grows best in moist ground, but is never designed nor expected to be a stately tree. He set it with<\/I> care and circumspection<\/I> (so some read it); he wisely provided that it might grow, but that it might not grow too big. He took of the king’s seed<\/I> (so it is explained, v.<\/I><\/span> 13<\/span>) and made a covenant with him<\/I> that he should have the kingdom, and enjoy the regal power and dignity, provided he held it as his vassal, dependent on him and accountable to him. He took an oath of him,<\/I> made him swear allegiance to him, swear by his own God, the God of Israel, that he would be a faithful tributary to him, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 13<\/span>. He also took away the mighty of the land,<\/I> the chief of the men of war, partly as hostages for the performance of the covenant, and partly that, the land being thereby weakened, the king might be the less able, and therefore the less in temptation, to break his league. What he designed we are told (v.<\/I><\/span> 14<\/span>): That the kingdom might be base,<\/I> in respect both of honour and strength, might neither be a rival with its powerful neighbours, nor a terror to its feeble ones, as it had been, that it might not left up itself<\/I> to vie with the kingdom of Babylon, or to bear down any of the petty states that were in subjection to it. But yet he designed that by the keeping of this covenant it might stand,<\/I> and continue a kingdom. Hereby the pride and ambition of that haughty potentate would be gratified, who aimed to be like the Most High<\/I> (Isa. xiv. 14<\/span>), to have all about him subject to him. Now see here, 1. How sad a change sin made with the royal family of Judah. Time was when all the nations about were tributaries to that; now that has not only lost its dominion over other nations, but has itself become a tributary. How has the gold become dim!<\/I> Nations by sin sell their liberty, and princes their dignity, and profane their crowns by casting them to the ground.<\/I> 2. How wisely Zedekiah did for himself in accepting these terms, though they were dishonourable, when necessity brought him to it. A man may live very comfortably and contentedly, though he cannot bear a part, and make a figure, as formerly. A kingdom may stand firmly and safely, though it do not stand so high as it has sometimes done; and so may a family.<\/P> III. Zedekiah, while he continued faithful to the king of Babylon, did very well, and, if he would but have reformed his kingdom, and returned to God and his duty, he would have done better, and by that means might soon have recovered his former dignity, v.<\/I><\/span> 6<\/span>. This plant grew, and though it was set as a willow-tree,<\/I> and little account was made of it, yet it became a spreading vine of low stature,<\/I> a great blessing to his own country, and his fruits made glad their hearts;<\/I> and it is better to be a spreading vine of low stature than a lofty cedar of no use. Nebuchadnezzar was pleased, for the branches turned towards him,<\/I> and rested on him as the vine on the wall, and he had his share of the fruits of this vine; the roots thereof<\/I> too were under him,<\/I> and at his disposal. The Jews had reason to be pleased, for they sat under their own vine, which brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs,<\/I> and looked pleasant and promising. See how gradually the judgments of God came upon this provoking people, how God gave them respite and so gave them space to repent. He made their kingdom base,<\/I> to try if that would humble them, before he made it no kingdom; yet left it easy for them, to try if that would win upon them to return to him, that the troubles threatened might be prevented.<\/P> IV. Zedekiah knew not when he was well off, but grew impatient of the disgrace of being a tributary to the king of Babylon, and, to get clear of it, entered into a private league with the king of Egypt. He had no reason to complain that the king of Babylon put any new hardships upon him or improved his advantages against him, that he oppressed or impoverished his country, for, as the prophet had said before (v.<\/I><\/span> 6<\/span>) to aggravate his treachery, he shows again (v.<\/I><\/span> 8<\/span>) what a fair way he was in to be considerable: He was planted in a good soil by great waters;<\/I> his family was likely enough to be built up, and his exchequer to be filled, in a little time, so that, if he had dealt faithfully, he might have been a goodly vine.<\/I> But there was another great eagle<\/I> that he had an affection for, and put a confidence in, and that was the king of Egypt,<\/I> v.<\/span> 7<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. Those two great potentates, the kings of Babylon and Egypt, were but two great eagles, birds of prey.<\/I> This great eagle of Egypt is said to have great wings,<\/I> but not to be long-winged<\/I> as the king of Babylon, because, though the kingdom of Egypt was strong, yet it was not of such a vast extent as that of Babylon was. The great eagle is said to have many feathers,<\/I> much wealth and many soldiers, which he depended upon as a substantial defence, but which really were no more than so may feathers.<\/I> Zedekiah, promising himself liberty, made himself a vassal to the king of Egypt, foolishly expecting ease by changing his master. Now this vine<\/I> did secretly and under-hand bend her roots towards<\/I> the king of Egypt, that great eagle, and after awhile did openly shoot forth her branches towards him,<\/I> give him an intimation how much she coveted an alliance with him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation,<\/I> whereas it was planted by great waters,<\/I> and did not need any assistance from him. This is expounded, v.<\/I><\/span> 15<\/span>. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon in sending his ambassadors into Egypt,<\/I> that they might give him horses and much people,<\/I> to enable him to contend with the king of Babylon. See what a change sin had made with the people of God! God promised that they should be a numerous people, as the sand of the sea; yet now, if their king had occasion for much people,<\/I> he must send to Egypt for them, they being for sin diminished and brought low,<\/I> Ps. cvii. 39<\/I><\/span>. See also the folly of fretful discontented spirits, that ruin themselves by striving to better themselves, whereas they might be easy and happy enough if they would but make the best of that which is.<\/I><\/P> V. God here threatens Zedekiah with the utter destruction of him and his kingdom, and, in displeasure against him, passes that doom upon him for his treacherous revolt from the king of Babylon. This is represented in the parable (Eze 17:9<\/span>; Eze 17:19<\/span>) by the plucking up of this vine by the roots, the cutting off of the fruit,<\/I> and the withering of the leaves,<\/I> the leaves of her spring,<\/I> when they are in their greenness (Job viii. 12<\/span>), before they begin in autumn to wither of themselves. The project shall be blasted; it shall utterly wither.<\/I> The affairs of this perfidious prince shall be ruined past retrieve; as a vine when the east wind blasts it, so that it shall be fit for nothing but the fire (as we had it in that parable, ch.<\/I><\/span> xv. 4<\/span>), it shall wither even in the furrows where it grew,<\/I> though they were ever so well watered. It shall be destroyed without great power or many people to pluck it up;<\/I> for what need is there of raising the militia to pluck up a vine? Note, God can bring great things to pass without much ado. He needs not great power and many people to effect his purposes; a handful will serve if he pleases. He can without any difficulty ruin a sinful king and kingdom, and make no more of it than we do of rooting up a tree that cumbers the ground. In the explanation of the parable the sentence is very largely recorded: Shall be prosper?<\/I> v.<\/span> 15<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. Can he expect to do ill and fare well? Nay, shall he that does such wicked things escape?<\/I> Shall he break the covenant, and be delivered<\/I> from that vengeance which is the just punishment of his treachery? No; can he expect to do ill and not suffer ill? Let him hear his doom.<\/P> 1. It is ratified by the oath of God (v.<\/I><\/span> 16<\/span>): As I live, saith the Lord God, he shall die<\/I> for it. This intimates how highly God resented the crime, and how sure and severe the punishment of it would be. God swears in his wrath,<\/I> as he did Ps. xcv. 11<\/span>. Note, As God’s promises are confirmed with an oath, for comfort to the saints, so are his threatenings, for terror to the wicked. As sure as God lives and is happy (I may add, and as long), so sure, so long, shall impenitent sinners die and be miserable.<\/P> 2. It is justified by the heinousness of the crime he had been guilty of. (1.) He had been very ungrateful to his benefactor, who had made him king,<\/I> and undertook to protect him, had made him a prince when he might as easily have made him a prisoner. Note, It is a sin against God to be unkind to our friends and to lift up the heel against those that have helped to raise us. (2.) He had been very false to him whom he had covenanted with. This is mostly insisted on: He despised the oath.<\/I> When his conscience or friends reminded him of it he made a jest of it, put on a daring resolution, and broke it,<\/I>Eze 17:15<\/span>; Eze 17:16<\/span>; Eze 17:18<\/span>; Eze 17:19<\/span>. He broke through it, and took a pride in making nothing of it, as a great tyrant in our own day, whose maxim (they say) it is, That princes ought not to be slaves to their word any further than it is for their interest.<\/I> That which aggravated Zedekiah’s perfidiousness was that the oath by which he had bound himself to the king of Babylon was, [1.] A solemn oath. An emphasis is laid upon this (Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n