And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Ver. 1. _And the word of the Lord came._] In the foregoing chapter God had threatened the inhabitants of Jerusalem for violating their covenant with him; and here he threateneth them no less for breach of covenant with men. In case of disobedience to h... [ Continue Reading ]
Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel; Ver. 2. _Son of man, put forth a riddle._] _Acue acumen,_ sharpen a sharpening, or whet a whetting. The prophet might have expressed God's mind in fewer words; but then it would not have taken so deep an impression. Paren... [ Continue Reading ]
And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar: Ver. 3. _A great eagle with great wings._] An eagle, that king of birds, is a fit emblem of an emperor; _a_ as it is... [ Continue Reading ]
He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants. Ver. 4. _He cropped off the top of his young twigs,_] _i.e., _ The nobles carried into captivity with their king, as is to be seen Ezekiel 17:12. So true is that saying of the Rabbis... [ Continue Reading ]
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed [it] by great waters, [and] set it [as] a willow tree. Ver. 5. _He took also of the seed of the land._] No foreigner, but one of their own country, and of the blood royal too - viz., Zedekiah. This was a great mercy... [ Continue Reading ]
And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs. Ver. 6. _And it grew._] And yet it had a great fall - viz, from a tall cedar to a low vine. Zedeki... [ Continue Reading ]
There was also 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. Ver. 7. _There was also another great eagle,_] _sc., _ Pharaoh, another poten... [ Continue Reading ]
It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine. Ver. 8. _It was planted in a good soil._] He was well enough, if he could have kept him so. “ _O fortunates homines, bona si sun norint!_ ” But disconte... [ Continue Reading ]
Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof. Ver. 9. _Shall it prosper?_] How... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea, behold, [being] planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew. Ver. 10. _Shall it not utterly wither?_] As Jonah's gourd did when smitten with a worm; as Phocas's wall came down with a witness, because built... [ Continue Reading ]
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Ver. 11. _Moreowr, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying._] God had one saying more to this rebellious house by way of explication here, and another of application for comfort and encouragement to the better sort among them. Eze 17:22-24... [ Continue Reading ]
Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these [things mean]? tell [them], Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon; Ver. 12. _Know ye not what these things mean?_] _q.d., _ It is much you s... [ Continue Reading ]
And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land: Ver. 13. _And hath taken an oath of him._] An oath of allegiance. Heb., Hath brought him into an execration, or an oath with cursing, that he shall be true and... [ Continue Reading ]
That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, [but] that by keeping of his covenant it might stand. Ver. 14. _That the kingdom might be base._] The mighty of the land being taken away, _as _ Eze 17:13 and the spirits of the vest imbased by burdens and oppressions in their estate... [ Continue Reading ]
But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such [things]? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered? Ver. 15. _But he rebelled against him._] As Ottocarus, king of Bohemia, d... [ Continue Reading ]
Ezekiel 17:16 [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely in the place [where] the king [dwelleth] that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, [even] with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. Ver. 16. _As I live._] So surely will I punish perjury and treachery. Histori... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither shall Pharaoh with [his] mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons: Ver. 17. _Neither shall Pharaoh._] God will cause the strongest sinew in the arm of flesh to crack. See Psalms 33:10,11 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these [things], he shall not escape. Ver. 18. _Seeing he despised the oath._] Despised it _ex fastu quodam,_ out of pride and disdain, as the word signifieth, as Pascenius the Papist jeereth at... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; [As] I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. Ver. 19. _Surely mine oath._] Because taken by my name, so that I am deeply engaged, highly concerned in it.... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me. Ver. 20. _And I will spread my net upon him._] See on Ezekiel 12:13. The history telleth us that when Zedekiah, w... [ Continue Reading ]
And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken [it]. Ver. 21. _And all his fugitives._] See on Ezekiel 14:13,14 . _ They shall know._] _Sero sapient: vexatio tandem dabit inte... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set [it]; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant [it] upon an high mountain and eminent: Ver. 22. _I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar._] _a_ Unders... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell._ Ver. 23. _In the mountain._] In the Church, that highest top.... [ Continue Reading ]
And all the 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]. Ver. 24. _And all the trees of the field,_] _i.e., _ All men, high a... [ Continue Reading ]