17:3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great a eagle with
great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had
various colours, came to Lebanon, and took the highest
branch of the cedar:
(a) That is, Nebuchadnezzar who had great power, riches and
many countries under him, will come to Jerusalem and
take away Jeconiah the king, as in (Eze 17:12).
17:4 He cropped off the top of its young twigs, and carried it
into a land of b trade; he set it in a city of merchants.
(b) Meaning to Babylon.
17:5 He took also of the c seed of the land, and planted it in
a fruitful field; he placed [it] by great waters, [and] set
it [as] a willow tree.
(c) That is, Zedekiah who was of the king's blood and was
left at Jerusalem and made king instead of Jeconiah,
(2Ki 24:17, Jer 37:1).
17:6 And it grew, and became d a spreading vine of e low
stature, whose branches turned toward him, and its roots
were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth
branches, and shot forth sprigs.
(d) This was Zedekiah's kingdom.
(e) That is, might not have power to rebel against Babylon,
as in (Eze 17:14).
17:7 There was also f 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.
(f) Meaning, the king of Egypt from whom Zedekiah sought
comfort against Nebuchadnezzar.
17:8 It was planted in a good soil by great g waters, that it
might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit,
that it might be a well favoured vine.
(g) They thought to be moistened by the waters of the Nile.
17:9 Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall
h he not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that
it may wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her
spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it
up by its roots.
(h) Shall not Nebuchadnezzar destroy it?
17:10 Yea, behold, [being] planted, shall it prosper? shall it
not utterly wither, i when the east wind toucheth it? it
shall wither in the furrows where it grew.
(i) By this dry wind he means the Babylonians.
17:12 Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these
[things mean]? tell [them], Behold, the king of Babylon
hath come to Jerusalem, and hath taken k its king, and
its princes, and led them with him to Babylon;
17:13 And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant
with him, and hath taken l an oath from him: he hath
also taken the mighty of the land:
(l) For his subjection and obedience.
17:18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant,
when, lo, he had given m his hand, and hath done all
these [things], he shall not escape.
(m) Because he took the name of God in vain, and broke his
oath which he had confirmed by giving his hand:
therefore the prophet declares that God would not
permit such perjury and infidelity to escape
punishment.
17:22 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest
branch n of the high cedar, and will set [it]; I will
crop off from the o top of its young twigs a tender one,
and will plant [it] upon an high mountain and eminent:
(n) This promise is made to the Church which will be as a
small remnant, and as the top of a tree.
(o) I will trim it, and dress it.
17:23 In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it:
and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a
well favoured cedar: and under it shall dwell all p fowl
of every wing; in the shadow of its branches shall they
dwell.
(p) Both the Jews and Gentiles will be gathered into it.
17:24 And all the q trees of the field shall know that I the
LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low
tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry
tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done
[it].
(q) All the world will know that I have plucked down the
proud enemies, and set up my Church which was low and
contemned.
