Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

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 17:3

And say, thus saith the Lord God ,.... The riddle is not the prophet's, nor the parable his, but the Lord God's; and exceeding beautiful and apt it is, to signify the things designed by it; the wisdom of God is greatly displayed in it: a great eagle ; which is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, as it is explained, Ezekiel 17:12 ; who is compared to an eagle for his power and authority, that being the king of birds, and for his swiftness and voracity in conquering and subduing kingdoms;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:4

He cropped off the top of his young twigs ,.... By which are meant the princes of the land, or the several branches of the royal family; the top of which was King Jeconiah, who was but young and tender, being but eighteen years of age when he began his reign, and this was within three months after; and who was no more able to withstand the force of the king of Babylon, than a tender twig so ravenous a bird as an eagle, 2 Kings 24:8 ; whose superior power and strength is signified by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:5

He took also of the seed of the land ,.... Of the land of Judea, a native of it, not a stranger; not one of another country, a Babylonian; not one of his own nobles or princes, did Nebuchadnezzar, the eagle, take and set upon the throne of Judea, but one of their own, even one of the king's seed, of the blood royal, as it is explained, Ezekiel 17:13 , Mattaniah, the uncle of Jeconiah, whom the king of Babylon called Zedekiah, and made him king in his room: and planted it in a fruitful... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:6

And it grew ,.... King Zedekiah reigned and prospered, and the kingdom flourished under him: and became a spreading vine of low stature ; not so flourishing as it had been heretofore, in former reigns; it did not rise up to a cedar, as it had been, but was like a vine, which, though flourishing, does not rise up high, but runs upon the ground, and is dependent on something else; so the king and kingdom of Judah, though in tolerable circumstances, yet were humble and dependent on the king... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:7

There was also another great eagle ,.... Hophra king of Egypt, a very powerful prince, whom Herodotus F21 L. 2. sive Euterpe, c. 161. calls Apries; and says he was the most happy and fortunate, after Psammitichus, of all the kings that were before; though not so mighty as the king of Babylon; therefore all the same things are not said of the one as of the other: with great wings and many feathers : had large dominions, but not go extensive as the former, and therefore is not said... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:8

It was planted in, a good soil, by great waters ,.... As is expressed in Ezekiel 17:5 ; this was done by the king of Babylon, who had raised Zedekiah from a low estate to a high one, and set him on the throne of Judah, over many people; and put him in such a condition, and in such circumstances, that he and his people might have been very happy, could they have been content:, for his view was, that he might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:9

Say thou, thus saith the Lord God ,.... Tell Zedekiah and his people, in the name of the Lord, what will be the issue of his ingratitude and treachery to the king of Babylon, and his vain confidence in the king of Egypt: shall it prosper ? the vine, the kingdom of Judah, and Zedekiah the king of it; can it be thought that prosperity will attend such conduct as this? was is it ever known that persons guilty of such vices ever succeeded? shall he not pull up the roots thereof ; the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:10

Yea, behold, being planted ,.... Supposing it ever so well planted, as first by Nebuchadnezzar; and still put into a better condition by the assistance of the king of Egypt, as was imagined: shall it prosper ? it shall not; their own strength, with the help of the king of Egypt, will not be able to protect them from the rage of the king of Babylon: shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it ? which is very hurtful to vines, and by which is meant the Chaldean army;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 17:11

Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying. Here follows the explanation of the above riddle and parable, which the prophet from the Lord had orders to deliver. read more

Group of Brands