The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 17:15
That they might give him horses. The "chariots and horses" of Egypt seem, throughout its whole history, to have been its chief element of strength. See for the time of Moses ( Exodus 14:7 ), of Solomon ( 1 Kings 10:28 , 1 Kings 10:29 ), of Rehoboam ( 2 Chronicles 12:3 ), of Hezekiah ( Isaiah 31:1 : Isaiah 36:9 ). Shall he prosper? What had been asked in the parable is asked also, in identical terms, in the interpretation. Ezekiel presses home the charge of perfidy as well as... read more
The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 17:12-13
The parable has been spoken. Ezekiel, after the pause implied in verse 11, now becomes its interpreter. And that interpretation is to be addressed to the "rebellious house" ( Ezekiel 2:3 , Ezekiel 2:6 ) among whom he lived. Probably even among the exiles of Tel-Abib there were some who cherished hopes of the success of the Egyptian alliance, and of the downfall of the power of Babylon as its outcome. The tenses are better in the indefinite past—"came," "took," "brought," and so on in verse... read more