Ezekiel 17:2

Son of man, put forth a riddle ,.... A dark saying, but a smart one: "whet a whetting" F11 חוד חידה , Heb. "acue acumen", Piscator. , as in the Hebrew; something at first sight difficult to be understood, yet amusing and entertaining; and, when solved, very useful and instructive:

and speak a parable unto the house of Israel ; or, "concerning the house of Israel" F12 אל בית ישראל "de domo Israelis", Junius & Tremellius, Polanus. ; as the Targum and Syriac version; something relating to them, and what would aptly describe and represent their case; for the prophet was bid to take such a method, not to hide things from them, but rather the more strongly to represent them to them; seeing hereby their attention would be excited, and things would be more fixed in their memories, and they would be put upon studying the meaning of them; and when explained to them, and understood, which was quickly done, they might be the more affected with them.