Ezekiel 17:7-17

7 "But there was another great eagle with great wings and much plumage; and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and sent out its branches toward him from the beds where it was ¹planted, that he might water it.

8 "It was planted in good soil beside abundant waters, that it might yield branches and bear fruit and become a splendid vine."'

9 "Say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, so that it withers -so that all its sprouting leaves wither? And neither by great strength nor by many people can it be raised from its roots again.

10 "Behold, though it is planted, will it thrive? Will it not ²completely wither as soon as the east wind strikes it-wither on the beds where it grew?""'

Zedekiah's Rebellion

11 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

12 "Say now to the ³rebellious house, 'Do you not ⁴know what these things mean?' Say, 'Behold, the ⁵king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and princes and brought them to him in Babylon.

13 'He took one of the royal ⁶family and made a covenant with him, putting him under ⁷oath. He also took away the ⁸mighty of the land,

14 that the kingdom might ⁹be in subjection, not exalting itself, but keeping his covenant that it might continue.

15 'But he ¹⁰rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt that they might give him horses and many troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things ¹¹escape? Can he indeed break the covenant and escape?

16 'As I live,' declares the Lord GOD, 'Surely * in the country of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he ¹²despised and whose covenant he broke, ¹³in Babylon he shall die.

17 '¹⁴Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in the war, when they cast up ramps and build siege walls to cut off many lives.

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Ezekiel 17:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 17

Under the simile of two eagles and a vine are represented the kings of Babylon and Egypt, and the condition of the Jews, who are threatened with ruin for their perfidy; and yet a promise is made of the raising up of the house of Judah, and family of David, in the Messiah. The prophet is bid to deliver a riddle or parable to the house of Israel, Eze 17:1,2. The riddle or parable is concerning two eagles and a vine, which is delivered, Eze 17:3-10; and the explanation of it is in Eze 17:11-15; and then the destruction of the Jews is threatened for their treachery to the king of Babylon, Eze 17:16-21; and the chapter is closed with a promise of the Messiah, and the prosperity of his kingdom, Eze 17:22-24.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 14

1. Ezekiel 31:4
2. Ezekiel 19:14; Hosea 13:15
3. Ezekiel 2:3-5
4. Ezekiel 12:9-11; Ezekiel 24:19
5. 2 Kin 24:11, 12, 15; Ezekiel 1:2; Ezekiel 17:3
6. 2 Kings 24:17; Ezekiel 17:5
7. 2 Chronicles 36:13
8. 2 Kings 24:15, 16
9. Ezekiel 29:14
10. 2 Kings 24:20; 2 Chronicles 36:13; Jeremiah 52:3; Ezekiel 17:7
11. Jeremiah 34:3; Jeremiah 38:18, 23; Ezekiel 17:18
12. 2 Kings 24:17, 20; Ezekiel 16:59; Ezekiel 17:13, 18, 19
13. Jeremiah 52:11; Ezekiel 12:13
14. Isaiah 36:6; Jeremiah 37:5, 7; Ezekiel 29:6, 7

Footnotes 11

[a]. So with several ancient versions; M.T. "one"
[b]. Lit "field"
[c]. Lit "arm"
[d]. Lit "seed"
[e]. Lit "and caused him to enter into an oath"
[f]. Lit "low"
[g]. Lit "people"
[h]. Lit "place"
[i]. Lit "made him king"
[j]. Lit "with him in Babylon"
[k]. Lit "act with"