In this chapter, we read of the humiliation and exaltation of the Davidic family, the disloyalty of Zedekiah and the consequences.
The allegory of the eagles. The allegory is interpreted. A Messianic promise.
This is a riddle, allegory, or parable. The Hebrew, ‘masal’, could be either or all, Ezekiel 17:1.
Block, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The manner in which plants and animals relate in the story, carrying on as if they were humans, would have amused any audience, and undoubtedly contributed to the prophet’s reputation as a ‘spinner of riddles’, Ezekiel 20:49.’
Bullock, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The purpose for using riddles was apparently to test the intelligence or cleverness of the hearer, Judges 14:12-19 / 1 Kings 10:1 / 2 Chronicles 9:1 / Matthew 13.’
The first great eagle described is Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, Ezekiel 17:2 / Jeremiah 48:40 / Ezekiel 49:22 / Daniel 7:4. Notice it came to Lebanon, which is Judah, Ezekiel 17:2 / Joshua 1:4 / 2 Kings 14:9. It took hold of a cedar, the topmost shoot, which is a reference to royalty, the Davidic family, particularly Jehoiachin, Ezekiel 17:3-4.
The eagle then takes some of the seed from Lebanon and planted it in fertile soil next to water so it would flourish, like a willow tree, Isaiah 44:4. It taking one of the seedlings is a reference to Zedekiah, Ezekiel 17:5.
The willow speaks of a weak kingdom, Ezekiel 17:5, meaning that Zedekiah was a puppet king. This seed sprouted and became a low, spreading vine, Ezekiel 17:5 / Ezekiel 15:1-8, which sent out branches upward toward the eagle and roots downward.
The allegory or parable describes the events between the time of King Jehoiachin’s exile (597 BC, when also Nebuchadnezzar placed Zedekiah on the throne of Judah), and the year Zedekiah revolted against Babylon because he trusted in the promise of Egypt’s help (588 BC). This interpretation is given later in the chapter in Ezekiel 17:11-14.
The second great eagle is Egypt, Ezekiel 17:7.
Feinberg, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This was Egypt, specifically Pharaoh Hophra, who came to the throne of Egypt in 588 B.C. To him, Zedekiah foolishly looked for help to throw off the Babylonian yoke after he had been befriended by Nebuchadnezzar.’
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following concerning the vine, Ezekiel 17:7-8.
‘The vine bending its roots toward Pharaoh and shooting forth its branches toward him are references to the treachery of Zedekiah against his suzerain overlord, the king of Babylon, as he attempted, against all the advice of God’s prophets, to form an effective alliance with Egypt.’
In Ezekiel 17:9-10, God asks two questions, Will it thrive? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it withers?
Constable, in his commentary, says the following concerning Ezekiel 17:9-10.
‘The Lord rhetorically asked if the owner of such a vine would not pull it out of its soil and cause it to wither and become unfruitful. Nothing that anyone could do could cause such a vine to recover its original health and fruitfulness after such treatment, Ezekiel 17:22-24. Even though its roots were still in the ground, it would not thrive. The hot east wind would easily wither it where it grew, Ezekiel 19:12 / Job 27:21 / Isaiah 27:8 / Hosea 13:15.’
Note the characteristics of the two eagles. Babylon’s eagle is shown as grand, colourful, and powerful. But Egypt lacks the power; it is all show. The first eagle has the pinions, the power; the second does not.
Despite the vine stretching out its roots and branches to the second eagle, the second eagle is not able to bring any kind of shelter against the storm which is coming, and so, the vine wouldn’t survive, Ezekiel 17:10.
Notice the reference to the east wind, Ezekiel 17:10; this is a reference to Babylon being led by Nebuchadnezzar. This interpretation again is given in Ezekiel 17:15-21.
Ezekiel is now to speak to the rebellious people and ask, ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Ezekiel 17:11.
This is an account of what has happened in Judah and what will happen. Babylon has removed the royal and influential people. Jehoiachin has been taken to Babylon and Zedekiah has been left in his place deliberately placed in a weak kingdom as a puppet king. But Zedekiah rebelled and sought help from Egypt.
However, the army of Egypt will not be able to help Judah on this occasion. This is a picture of the treachery of Zedekiah, who will end up a captive in Babylon, and his troops and supporters will be similarly judged.
It was the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, who took Jehoiachin and his nobles into Babylon, Ezekiel 17:12 / 2 Kings 24:11 / Jeremiah 24:1 / Jeremiah 29:2 / Jeremiah 48:40 / Jeremiah 49:22 / Daniel 7:4.
Keil, in his commentary, says the following concerning Ezekiel 17:13.
‘The king’s seed is Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah, whom Nebuchadnezzar made king under the name of Zedekiah, 2 Kings 24:17, and from whom he took an oath of fealty, 2 Chronicles 36:13.’
Constable, in his commentary, says the following concerning Ezekiel 17:13-14.
‘Nebuchadnezzar set up another king as his vassal, Zedekiah, one of the royal seed whom he planted in the fertile soil of Canaan, Ezekiel 17:5. He deported the leaders of Judah to Babylon so Judah would be a docile servant and continue to exist with a measure of independence under his control, 2 Kings 24:17 / Jeremiah 37:1. Nebuchadnezzar made a binding covenant with Zedekiah obligating him to serve Babylon, and Zedekiah flourished for a time. The vine’s roots remained under it, but it grew low and spreading rather than upward and fruitful, and it extended its branches toward the eagle, Nebuchadnezzar, Ezekiel 17:6.’
Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar and sent envoys to Egypt to ask for help to resist the Babylonians, Ezekiel 17:15 / Ezekiel 8:1 / Ezekiel 20:1. His eyes were put out, 2 Kings 25:7 / Jeremiah 52:11, and he was carried to Babylon, and never returned, Ezekiel 17:16.
Hengstenberg, in his commentary, says the following concerning Ezekiel 17:17.
‘Pharaoh will not render him the expected powerful aid against the Chaldeans; he will leave his protégé in the lurch when he is hard pressed by his enemies. That the Chaldeans need no great military force against Jerusalem is manifest here from this, that the Egyptians, against whom alone it could be necessary, come not to its aid with any force. Egypt was already at that time worm-eaten, which the Spirit of God showed to his prophets, while the world went no further than the surface.’
Notice the reason for Zedekiah’s individual punishment. He broke the oath made to the king of Babylon. He clearly despised it and broke it according to Ezekiel 17:18. To give the land, Ezekiel 17:18, was and still remains today a pledge of agreement, 2 Kings 10:15 / Ezra 10:19 / Jeremiah 1:15.
Then we discover that God calls it ‘my oath’ and ‘my covenant’, Ezekiel 17:19. Zedekiah had brought God into the covenant with Nebuchadnezzar, 2 Chronicles 36:13.
He made the mistake of breaking a personal covenant with God. Throughout the Bible, we see how important covenants or oaths are to God, Deuteronomy 28:15-68 / Amos 1:9-15 / Hebrews 10:19-31.
God’s net, Ezekiel 17:20, is Nebuchadnezzar, Ezekiel 12:13, whom God will use to punish His people. This prophecy was fulfilled five years afterwards, when Zedekiah was carried away captive to Babylon, where he died in prison, Jeremiah 52:8-11.
Keil, in his commentary, says the following concerning Ezekiel 17:21.
‘The mention of some who remain, and who are to be scattered towards all the winds, is not at variance with the statement that all the fugitives in the wings of the army are to fall by the sword. The latter threat simply declares that no one will escape death by flight. But there is no necessity to take those who remain as being simply fighting men; and the word ‘all’ must not be taken too literally.’
Though God does not call Himself an eagle, He takes the part the other two eagles have played in Ezekiel 17:1-10. He takes a small twig from the most tender part of the tree and places it on the highest point of the mountain, Ezekiel 17:22.
It is one of the royal lines to be established in Judah, Isaiah 11:1 / Jeremiah 23:5-6 / Jeremiah 33:14-16 / Zechariah 3:8 / Zechariah 6:12-13 / Revelation 22:16. Notice the smallness of the twig and the harshness of the grounds, Ezekiel 17:23-24.
The top of the mountain has the weakest soil, and it receives the strongest of winds, but God plants it so it will not only survive but grow vigorously, Ezekiel 17:23-24. Why? Because God wants it to.
This is a Messianic prophecy. After Zedekiah, there was no royal one until Jesus. Remember how the Babylonian eagle planted the twig and planted it in good soil with plenty of water, but it did not grow, Ezekiel 17:5.
God did not want the kingdom under Zedekiah to flourish, but it was different under King Jesus, Isaiah 53:2. God says that glory will be restored to the Davidic line through Jesus, Matthew 1:1-17. Even the birds will nest in it, Ezekiel 17:23 / Ezekiel 31:6 / Ezekiel 31:12 / Daniel 4:12 / Daniel 4:21 / Mark 4:32.
Poole, in his commentary, says the following.
‘All nations, the Gentiles as well as the Jews, shall build, breed, and multiply under the kingdom of Christ; it shall be no more confined to the Jews, but extend to the Gentiles also. There they shall find peace and safety; and this repeated confirms the certainty of the promise.’
Constable, in his commentary, says the following concerning Ezekiel 17:24.
‘At that time, the other nations (trees) would know that the one who had done this was Israel’s God. He would cut down the high tree (Babylon?) and exalt the low tree (Israel). He would dry up the presently green tree (Egypt?) and make the presently dry tree (Israel) flourish. The one who promised this was Yahweh, and He would also perform it.’