Ezekiel 17:1-6

1 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,

2 Son of man, set forth a dark speech, and tell thou a parable to the house of Israel;

3 and thou shalt say, The Lord God saith these things. A great eagle of great wings, with long stretching out of members, full of feathers and of diversity, came to the Lebanon, and took away the marrow of the cedar.

4 He pulled away the highness of (the) boughs thereof, and bare it over into the land of Canaan, and setted it in the city of merchants. (He pulled away the highness of its branches, and carried it into the land of merchandising, and put it in the city of merchants.)

5 And he took of the seed of the land, and setted it in the land for seed, that it should make steadfast root on many waters (so that it would make a steadfast root by many waters); and he setted it in the higher part.

6 And when it had grown, it increased into a larger vinery, in low stature; for the boughs thereof beheld to that eagle, and the roots thereof were under that eagle; therefore it was made a vinery, and it made fruit into scions, and sent out boughs. (And when it had grown, it increased into a long spreading vine, on the ground; for its branches looked upward to that eagle, and its roots were under that eagle; and so it was made a vine, and it made its fruit among the leaves, and sent out its branches.)

Ezekiel 17:1-6 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.