Ezekiel 17:12-21

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 17:1-21

We must take all these verses together, that we may have the parable and the explanation of it at one view before us, because they will illustrate one another. 1. The prophet is appointed to put forth a riddle to the house of Israel (Ezek. 17:2), not to puzzle them, as Samson's riddle was put forth to the Philistines, not to hide the mind of God from them in obscurity, or to leave them in uncertainty about it, one advancing one conjecture and another another, as is usual in expounding riddles;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:12

Say now to the rebellious house ,.... It had been a rebellious house to God, and to his prophets, before; see Ezekiel 2:5 and See Gill on Ezekiel 2:5 ; and now, besides this was rebellious to the king of Babylon, to whom they were in some measure subject, Ezekiel 17:15 ; know ye not what these things mean ? the riddle and parable concerning the two eagles and the vine; suggesting that they must be very inattentive, and very stupid, if they did not know the meaning of them; for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:13

And hath taken of the king's seed ,.... One of the royal family, signified by the seed of the land, Ezekiel 17:5 . Mattaniah, son of King Josiah, and uncle to King Jeconiah; whom Nebuchadnezzar took and made king of Judea, and called him Zedekiah, which signifies the "justice of the Lord": to put him in mind of doing justly, by observing the covenant and oath after mentioned, or that he must expect vengeance: and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him ; he gave him the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:14

That the kingdom might be base ,.... Low or humble; its king but a viceroy, a tributary to the king of Babylon; and the subjects obliged to a tax, payable to him; and this is intended by the vine being of "low stature", Ezekiel 17:6 ; that it might not lift up itself ; above other neighbouring kingdoms and states; and particularly that it might not rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, but be kept in a dependence on him, and subjection to him: but that by keeping of his covenant it might... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:15

But he rebelled against him ,.... Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon, broke the covenant he entered into, and violated his oath: in sending his ambassadors into Egypt ; to form an alliance with the king of it, and obtain help from him to break off the Babylonian yoke; this is signified by the vine "bending its roots, and shooting forth its branches towards another great eagle", the king of Egypt, Ezekiel 17:7 ; that they might give him horses and much people ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:16

As I live, saith the Lord God ,.... This is the form of an oath, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe; the Lord swears, in his wrath, by himself, by his life; this shows how much he resented, what Zedekiah had done, and how sure and certain his ruin was: surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king ; in Babylon, where Nebuchadnezzar dwelt, that made Zedekiah king of Judah; which is mentioned, to point out the ingratitude of that prince to the king of Babylon: whose... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:17

Neither shall Pharaoh, with his mighty army and great company , make for him in the war ,.... The king of Egypt, to whom Zedekiah applied for horses and men to help him; though he should come with a great army, and a large multitude of people, yet should be of no use to Zedekiah, nor do any hurt to Nebuchadnezzar, or hinder him from taking Jerusalem: by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons ; that is, when Nebuchadnezzar should besiege Jerusalem, and raise... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:18

Seeing he despised the oath, by breaking the covenant ,.... This is repeated again, to show the heinousness of the sin Zedekiah had been guilty of, and what was the cause of his ruin: when, lo, he had given his hand ; to the king of Babylon, to testify his hearty agreement with him, and that he might depend upon the oath and covenant being sacredly observed by him. This was a rite for custom frequently and early used in different nations, when covenants and agreements were entered into;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:19

Therefore thus saith the Lord God, as I live ,.... A repetition of the oath of God as before, expressing his indignation at the king of Judah, and the certainty of his ruin: surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken ; the Lord calls it his oath, because it was made and taken in his name, 2 Chronicles 36:13 ; and his covenant, because it was agreeable to his will, and was made in his sight, and he was solemnly appealed to at the making of it; all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:20

And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare ,.... See Gill on Ezekiel 12:13 ; where the same words are used, and of the same person: and I will bring him to Babylon ; though, as it is said in the place referred to, he should not see it, his eyes being put out before he was brought thither: and I will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me ; for though it was breaking covenant and oath with a Heathen prince, yet it was a... read more

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