Ezekiel 17 Study Notes
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17:13 The phrase he took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him describes Nebuchadnezzar’s installation of his own puppet king, Mattaniah, whom he renamed Zedekiah after Jehoiachin was removed from the throne. The people of the upper class of the land were carried away with Jehoiachin to Babylon (2Kg 24:15).
17:16-18 This prophecy (he will die in Babylon) was fulfilled in 2Kg 25:7.
17:19-21 Nebuchadnezzar had forced his vassal covenant on King Zedekiah of Judah (2Ch 36:13). The oath had been sworn to the God of Israel, so a violation of the agreement would bring the anger of the Lord. The king’s most serious transgression was not against Nebuchadnezzar but against his responsibility and loyalty to God. As a consequence, God would carry out the impending punishment of exile and imprisonment in Babylon (2Kg 25:7,11-21).
17:22 Other prophets used a variety of horticultural expressions—including shoot, sprout, and branch—to designate the messianic figure who would revive the Davidic line (Is 4:2; 11:1; Jr 23:5; 33:15; Zch 3:8; 6:12). In this context, a sprig (Hb yoneqeth) serves as a forerunner of the messianic figure mentioned in later salvation oracles. God would replant a king from the line of David on the mountain heights of Israel. The mountain on which the cedar will be planted is the symbol of a mighty kingdom (Is 2:2; Mc 4:1).
17:23 Birds thriving under a leader’s protection is a repeated biblical theme (Dn 4:20-22; Hs 14:5-7). The expression birds of every kind recalls the flood story (Gn 7:14). God’s plan includes all the peoples of the world.
17:24 The concept of the Messiah as the low tree or “dry tree” awaiting glorification fits with the view of the Messiah as Suffering Servant. This passage should be correlated with Is 2:2-4 and Mc 4:1-4 where it is said that in messianic times the entire world will recognize the Lord and be subject to his will on Mount Zion. A new sprig will be planted and will flourish under the blessing of the Lord’s protection. The fulfillment of this prophecy awaited the arrival of a greater son of David, Jesus the Messiah, who would claim the world as his kingdom (Jn 12:32; cp. Rv 22:16-17).