Ezekiel 17:9

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 17:9

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 17:9

Shall it prosper? - Shall Zedekiah succeed in casting off the yoke of the king of Babylon, to whom he had sworn fealty? Shall he not pull up the roots - Nebuchadnezzar will come and dethrone him. And cut off the fruit - The children of Zedekiah. The leaves - All the nobles; all shall perish with Zedekiah. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 17:9

Verse 9 Here God announces that this vine could not flourish any longer and bring forth fruit; for it had been planted to flourish under the shadow of an eagle, and it had removed itself away. Nothing therefore remains, than that the former eagle should avenge the injury committed against it. This is the meaning of the passage: hence he says, Shall it prosper? Shall not the eagle tear up its roots, and cut off its fruit? Ezekiel assumes this principle, that the vine could not be otherwise... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 17:1-21

The parable of the vine. Sin of every sort has a baneful power of blinding the mind of the transgressor. The thief does not perceive the criminality of his act. He complains only of the law which is so severe. The drunkard does not perceive the culpability of his course. May he not order his life as he pleases? So is it in every case—even in the case of secret sin. The moral sense is blinded, infatuated, indurated. In all such instances some ingenious method is required to convince the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 17:1-21

A parabolic setting forth of the relations of Judah to Babylon and Egypt. "And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable," etc. Let us notice— I. THE PARABLE AND ITS INTERPRETATION . It would be unwise to attempt to fix a definite meaning to every minute feature of the parable; and its chief features are interpreted for us by Ezekiel. The great eagle is intended to represent the King of Babylon, and, being a royal bird. it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 17:3-10

The parable of the two eagles. I. THE FIRST EAGLE AND THE CEDAR . The eagle is the King of Babylon. The cedar is the house of David. Nebuchadnezzar cut off the topmost twigs of this tree when he deported Jehoiakim and his court to Babylon. 1 . God uses powerful instruments . The eagle is the king of birds. The one here described is of exceptional splendour, with variegated plumage ( Ezekiel 17:3 ). Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful monarch of his age, and he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 17:5-10

Discontent and its disastrous development. "He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field," etc. Explain the parable as far as is necessary to make application of the text clear. I. THE CONDITION ALLOTTED TO US IN THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE IS GOOD FOR US , AND USUALLY AFFORDS SCOPE FOR PROGRESS . "He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field," etc. ( Ezekiel 17:5 , Ezekiel 17:8 ). Zedekiah King... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 17:9

The prophet, like his contemporary Jeremiah ( Jeremiah 37:7 ), like his predecessor Isaiah ( Isaiah 30:1-7 ), is against this policy of an Egyptian alliance. The question which he asks, as the prophet of Jehovah, implies an answer in the negative. The doom of failure was written on all such projects. The he of the next question is not Nebuchadnezzar, but indefinite, like the French on . For leaves of her spring, read, with the Revised Version, fresh springing leaves ; or, the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ezekiel 17:9

Her spring - Rather, her growth.Even without ... - Translate; and not with great power or with much people is it to be raised up from its roots again. read more

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