Yechezkel 17

1 7 And the Devar Hashem came unto me, saying,

2 Ben adam, put forth an allegory, and speak a mashal unto the Bais Yisroel;

3 And say, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem: A nesher hagadol with great kenafayim (wings), long pinions, full of plumage, which had various colors, came unto Levanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar.

4 He broke off its topmost young twig, and carried it into an eretz kena’an (land of trade); he set it in a city of merchants [i.e., Babylon].

5 He took also of the zera of ha’aretz, and planted it in a fertile sadeh; he placed it by abundant mayim, and set it out like a willow tree.

6 And it yitzmach (sprouted), and became a spreading gefen of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him; so it became a gefen (vine), and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.

7 There was also another nesher hagadol with great kenafayim (wings) and many feathers; and, hinei, this gefen (vine) did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows where it had been planted.

8 It was planted in a sadeh tov by mayim rabbim, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear p’ri, that it might be a majestic gefen.

9 Say thou, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Shall it thrive? Shall he not pull up the shorashim (roots) thereof, and cut off the p’ri (fruit) thereof, that it wither? All of its tzemach (sprouted) leaves shall wither, even without great power or many peoples to pluck it up by the shorashim (roots) thereof.

10 Indeed, hinei, being transplanted, shall it thrive? Shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? It shall wither in the furrows where it tzemach (sprouted).

11 Moreover the Devar Hashem came unto me, saying,

12 Say now to bais hameri (the rebellious house), Know ye not what these things mean? Tell them: Hinei, Melech Bavel is come to Yerushalayim, and hath taken HaMelech thereof, and the sarim thereof, and led them with him to Bavel;

13 And hath taken of the royal zera, and cut a Brit with him, and hath taken an oath of him; he hath also taken away the mighty of ha’aretz;

14 That the mamlachah (kingdom) might be abased, that it might not exalt itself, but that by being shomer over his brit it might stand.

15 But he rebelled against him in sending his malachim into Mitzrayim, that they might give him susim and much people. Shall he prosper? Shall he escape that doeth such things? Or shall he break the brit (covenant), and be delivered?

16 As I live, saith Adonoi Hashem, surely in the makom where the melech dwelleth that made him melech, whose oath he despised, whose brit he broke, even with him in the midst of Bavel he shall die.

17 Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great kahal do anything for him in the milchamah, by casting up siege mounds, and building siegework, to cut off many nefashot.

18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the brit, when, hinei, he had given his yad [i.e., promised by oath], and still did all these things, he shall not escape.

19 Therefore thus saith Adonoi Hashem; As I live, surely Mine oath that he hath despised, and My Brit (covenant) that he hath broken, even it will I repay upon his own rosh.

20 And I will spread My net upon him, and he shall be caught in My snare, and I will bring him to Bavel, and will execute justice on him there for his ma’al (unfaithfulness) that he hath been unfaithful against Me.

21 And all his fugitives with all his troops shall fall by the cherev, and they that survive and remain shall be scattered toward kol ruach (all winds); and ye shall know that I Hashem have spoken it.

22 Thus saith Adonoi Hashem; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will plant it; I will break off from the top of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon a high mountain and prominent;

23 On the high mountain of Yisroel will I plant it; and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear p’ri (fruit), and be a majestic cedar; and under it shall dwell kol tzippor (every bird) of every wing; in the tzel (shadow) of the branches thereof shall they dwell.

24 And all the trees of the sadeh shall know that I Hashem have brought down the high etz (tree), have exalted the low etz (tree), have dried up the green etz (tree), and have made the etz yavesh (dry tree) to flourish. I Hashem have spoken and have done it.

Yechezkel 17 Commentary

Chapter 17

A parable relative to the Jewish nation. (1-10) to which an explanation is added. (11-21) A direct promise of the Messiah. (22-24)

Verses 1-10 Mighty conquerors are aptly likened to birds or beasts of prey, but their destructive passions are overruled to forward God's designs. Those who depart from God, only vary their crimes by changing one carnal confidence for another, and never will prosper.

Verses 11-21 The parable is explained, and the particulars of the history of the Jewish nation at that time may be traced. Zedekiah had been ungrateful to his benefactor, which is a sin against God. In every solemn oath, God is appealed to as a witness of the sincerity of him that swears. Truth is a debt owing to all men. If the professors of the true religion deal treacherously with those of a false religion, their profession makes their sin the worse; and God will the more surely and severely punish it. The Lord will not hold those guiltless who take his name in vain; and no man shall escape the righteous judgment of God who dies under unrepented guilt.

Verses 22-24 The unbelief of man shall not make the promise of God of none effect. The parable of a tree, used in the threatening, is here presented in the promise. It appears only applicable to Jesus, the Son of David, the Messiah of God. The kingdom of Satan, which has borne so long, so large a sway, shall be broken, and the kingdom of Christ, which was looked upon with contempt, shall be established. Blessed be God, our Redeemer is seen even by the ends of the earth. We may find refuge from the wrath to come, and from every enemy and danger, under his shadow; and believers are fruitful in him.

Chapter Summary

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.