1Und das Wort Jehovas geschah zu mir also: 2Menschensohn, gib ein Rätsel auf und rede ein Gleichnis zu dem Hause Israel, 3und sprich: So spricht der Herr, Jehova: Ein großer Adler mit großen Flügeln, langen Schwingen, voll buntfarbigen Gefieders, kam zum Libanon und nahm den Wipfel einer Ceder. 4Den obersten ihrer Schößlinge brach er ab und brachte ihn in ein Krämerland, in eine Stadt von Kaufleuten setzte er ihn. 5Und er nahm von dem Samen des Landes und setzte ihn in ein Saatfeld, er brachte ihn zu vielen Wassern, behandelte ihn wie eine Weide . 6Und er wuchs und wurde zu einem üppigen Weinstock von niedrigem Wuchse, damit seine Ranken sich zu ihm hin wendeten und seine Wurzeln unter ihm wären; und er wurde zu einem Weinstock und trieb Äste und breitete sein Laubwerk aus. - 7Und da war ein anderer großer Adler mit großen Flügeln und vielem Gefieder. Und siehe, von den Beeten seiner Pflanzung aus streckte dieser Weinstock seine Wurzeln lechzend zu ihm hin und breitete seine Ranken nach ihm aus, damit er ihn tränke. 8In ein gutes Feld, an vielen Wassern war er gepflanzt, um Zweige zu treiben und Frucht zu tragen, um zu einem herrlichen Weinstock zu werden. 9Sprich: So spricht der Herr, Jehova: Wird er gedeihen? Wird man nicht seine Wurzeln ausreißen und seine Frucht abschneiden, so daß er verdorrt? Alle frischen Blätter seines Triebes werden verdorren; und nicht mit großem Arme und zahlreichem Volke wird es möglich sein, ihn von seinen Wurzeln emporzuheben . 10Und siehe, wenngleich er gepflanzt ist, wird er gedeihen? Wird er nicht, sobald der Ostwind ihn berührt, ganz verdorren? Auf den Beeten, wo er wächst, wird er verdorren. 11Und das Wort Jehovas geschah zu mir also: 12Sprich doch zu dem widerspenstigen Hause: Wisset ihr nicht, was das ist? Sprich: Siehe, der König von Babel ist nach Jerusalem gekommen, und hat seinen König und seine Fürsten weggenommen und hat sie zu sich nach Babel geführt. 13Und er hat von dem königlichen Samen genommen und einen Bund mit ihm gemacht, und hat ihn einen Eid eingehen lassen; die Mächtigen des Landes aber hat er mitgenommen, 14damit das Königreich niedrig wäre, auf daß es sich nicht erhöbe, und damit er seinen Bund hielte, auf daß es bestände. 15Aber er empörte sich wider ihn, indem er seine Boten nach Ägypten sandte, damit es ihm Rosse und viel Volks gäbe. Wird er gedeihen? Wird er, der solches getan hat, entrinnen? Da er den Bund gebrochen hat, sollte er entrinnen? 16So wahr ich lebe, spricht der Herr, Jehova, wenn er nicht an dem Orte des Königs, der ihn zum König gemacht hat, dessen Eid er verachtet und dessen Bund er gebrochen hat, bei ihm in Babel sterben wird! 17Und nicht wird der Pharao mit einem großen Heere und mit einer zahlreichen Schar für ihn etwas ausrichten im Kriege, wenn man einen Wall aufschüttet und Belagerungstürme baut, um viele Seelen auszurotten . 18Da er den Eid verachtet und den Bund gebrochen hat - und siehe, er hatte seine Hand darauf gegeben und tat dennoch alles dieses, - so wird er nicht entrinnen. 19Darum spricht der Herr, Jehova, also: So wahr ich lebe, wenn ich nicht meinen Eid, den er verachtet, und meinen Bund, den er gebrochen hat, ihm auf seinen Kopf bringe! 20Und ich will mein Netz über ihn ausbreiten, und in meinem Garne wird er gefangen werden; und ich will ihn nach Babel bringen und daselbst mit ihm rechten wegen seiner Treulosigkeit, die er gegen mich begangen hat. 21Und alle seine Flüchtlinge unter allen seinen Scharen, sie werden durchs Schwert fallen, und die Übriggebliebenen in alle Winde zerstreut werden. Und ihr werdet wissen, daß ich, Jehova, geredet habe. 22So spricht der Herr, Jehova: Und ich werde von dem Wipfel der hohen Ceder einen Schößling nehmen und ihn setzen; von dem obersten ihrer Schößlinge werde ich einen zarten abbrechen und ihn pflanzen auf einen hohen und erhabenen Berg. 23Auf den hohen Berg Israels werde ich ihn pflanzen; und er wird Zweige treiben und Frucht tragen und zu einer herrlichen Ceder werden; und unter ihr werden alle Vögel wohnen, alles Geflügelte: Im Schatten ihrer Zweige werden sie wohnen. 24Und alle Bäume des Feldes werden erkennen, daß ich, Jehova, den hohen Baum erniedrigt, den niedrigen Baum erhöht habe, den grünen Baum verdorren und den dürren Baum grünen ließ. Ich, Jehova, habe geredet und werde es tun.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 PARABLE OF THE TWO GREAT EAGLES, AND THE CROPPING OF THE CEDAR OF LEBANON. JUDAH IS TO BE JUDGED FOR REVOLTING FROM BABYLON, WHICH HAD SET UP ZEDEKIAH INSTEAD OF JEHOIACHIN, TO EGYPT; GOD HIMSELF, AS THE RIVAL OF THE BABYLONIAN KING, IS TO PLANT THE GOSPEL CEDAR OF MESSIAH. (Eze. 17:1-24)
riddle--a continued allegory, expressed enigmatically, requiring more than common acumen and serious thought. The Hebrew is derived from a root, "sharp," that is, calculated to stimulate attention and whet the intellect. Distinct from "fable," in that it teaches not fiction, but fact. Not like the ordinary riddle, designed to puzzle, but to instruct. The "riddle" is here identical with the "parable," only that the former refers to the obscurity, the latter to the likeness of the figure to the thing compared.
3 eagle--the king of birds. The literal Hebrew is, "the great eagle." The symbol of the Assyrian supreme god, Nisroch; so applied to "the great king" of Babylon, his vicegerent on earth (
Jer 48:40;
Jer 49:22). His "wings" are his great forces. Such symbols were familiar to the Jews, who saw them portrayed on the great buildings of Babylon; such as are now seen in the Assyrian remains.
long-winged--implying the wide extent of his empire.
full of feathers--when they have been renewed after moulting; and so in the full freshness of renovated youth (
Ps 103:5;
Isa 40:31). Answering to the many peoples which, as tributaries, constituted the strength of Babylon:
divers colours--the golden eagle, marked with star-like spots, supposed to be the largest of eagles [BOCHART]. Answering to the variety of languages, habits, and costumes of the peoples subject to Babylon.
came unto Lebanon--continuing the metaphor: as the eagle frequents mountains, not cities. The temple at Jerusalem was called "Lebanon" by the Jews [EUSEBIUS], because its woodwork was wholly of cedars of Lebanon. "The mountain of the Lord's house" (
Isa 2:2). Jerusalem, however, is chiefly meant, the chief seat of civil honor, as Lebanon was of external elevation.
took the highest branch--King Jeconiah, then but eighteen years old, and many of the chiefs and people with him (
2Kgs 24:8,
2Kgs 24:12-16). The Hebrew for "highest branch" is, properly, the fleece-like tuft at the top of the tree. (So in
Ezek 31:3-
Ezek 31:14). The cedar, as a tall tree, is the symbol of kingly elevation (compare
Dan 4:10-
Dan 4:12).
4 land of traffic . . . merchants--Babylon (
2Kgs 24:15-16), famous for its transport traffic on the Tigris and Euphrates. Also, by its connection with the Persian Gulf, it carried on much commerce with India.
5 seed of the land--not a foreign production, but one native in the region; a son of the soil, not a foreigner: Zedekiah, uncle of Jehoiachin, of David's family.
in a fruitful field--literally, a "field of seed"; that is, fit for propagating and continuing the seed of the royal family.
as a willow--derived from a Hebrew root, "to overflow," from its fondness for water (
Isa 44:4). Judea was "a land of brooks of water and fountains" (
Deut 8:7-
Deut 8:9; compare
John 3:23).
6 vine of low stature--not now, as before, a stately "cedar"; the kingdom of Judah was to be prosperous, but not elevated.
branches turned toward him--expressing the fealty of Zedekiah as a vassal looking up to Nebuchadnezzar, to whom Judah owed its peace and very existence as a separate state. The "branches" mean his sons and the other princes and nobles.
The roots . . . under him--The stability of Judah depended on Babylon. The repetition "branches" and "springs" is in order to mark the ingratitude of Zedekiah, who, not content with moderate prosperity, revolted from him to whom he had sworn allegiance.
7 another . . . eagle--the king of Egypt (
Ezek 17:15). The "long-winged" of
Ezek 17:3 is omitted, as Egypt had not such a wide empire and large armies as Babylon.
vine . . . bend . . . roots towards him--literally, "thirsted after him with its roots"; expressing the longings after Egypt in the Jewish heart. Zedekiah sought the alliance of Egypt, as though by it he could throw off his dependence on Babylon (
2Kgs 24:7,
2Kgs 24:20;
2Chr 36:13;
Jer 37:5,
Jer 37:7).
water it by . . . furrows of . . . plantation--that is, in the garden beds (Judea) wherein (the vine) it was planted. Rather, "by" or "out of the furrows." It refers to the waters of Egypt, the Nile being made to water the fields by means of small canals or "furrows"; these waters are the figure of the auxiliary forces wherewith Egypt tried to help Judah. See the same figure,
Isa 8:7. But see on
Ezek 17:10, "furrows where it grew."
8 It was planted in a good soil--It was not want of the necessaries of life, nor oppression on the port of Nebuchadnezzar, which caused Zedekiah to revolt: it was gratuitous ambition, pride, and ingratitude.
9 Shall it prosper?--Could it be that gratuitous treason should prosper? God will not allow it. "It," that is, the vine.
he . . . pull up--that is, the first eagle, or Nebuchadnezzar.
in all . . . leaves of her spring--that is, all its springing (sprouting) leaves.
without great power or many--It shall not need all the forces of Babylon to destroy it; a small division of the army will suffice because God will deliver it into Nebuchadnezzar's hand (
Jer 37:10).
10 being planted--that is, "though planted."
east wind--The east wind was noxious to vegetation in Palestine; a fit emblem of Babylon, which came from the northeast.
wither in . . . furrows where it grew--Zedekiah was taken at Jericho, on Jewish soil (
Jer 52:8). "It shall wither, although it has furrows from which it expects continual waterings" [CALVIN], (
Ezek 19:12;
Hos 13:15).
12 Know ye not--He upbraided them with moral, leading to intellectual, stupidity.
hath taken the king--Jeconiah or Jehoiachin (
2Kgs 24:11,
2Kgs 24:12-16).
13 the king's seed--Zedekiah, Jeconiah's uncle.
taken . . . oath of him--swearing fealty as a vassal to Nebuchadnezzar (
2Chr 36:13).
also taken the mighty--as hostages for the fulfilment of the covenant; whom, therefore, Zedekiah exposed to death by his treason.
14 That the kingdom might be base--that is, low as to national elevation by being Nebuchadnezzar's dependent; but, at the same time, safe and prosperous, if faithful to the "oath." Nebuchadnezzar dealt sincerely and openly in proposing conditions, and these moderate ones; therefore Zedekiah's treachery was the baser and was a counterpart to their treachery towards God.
15 he rebelled--God permitted this because of His wrath against Jerusalem (
2Kgs 24:20).
horses--in which Egypt abounded and which were forbidden to Israel to seek from Egypt, or indeed to "multiply" at all (
Deut 17:16;
Isa 31:1,
Isa 31:3; compare
Isa 36:9). DIODORUS SICULUS [1.45] says that the whole region from Thebes to Memphis was filled with royal stalls, so that twenty thousand chariots with two horses in each could be furnished for war.
Shall he prosper?--The third time this question is asked, with an indignant denial understood (
Ezek 17:9-
Ezek 17:10). Even the heathen believed that breakers of an oath would not "escape" punishment.
16 in the place where the king dwelleth--righteous retribution. He brought on himself in the worst form the evil which, in a mild form, he had sought to deliver himself from by perjured treachery, namely, vassalage (
Ezek 12:13;
Jer 32:5;
Jer 34:3;
Jer 52:11).
17 Pharaoh--Pharaoh-hophra (
Jer 37:7;
Jer 44:30), the successor of Necho (
2Kgs 23:29).
Neither . . . make for him--literally, "effect (anything) with him," that is, be of any avail to Zedekiah. Pharaoh did not act in concert with him, for he was himself compelled to retire to Egypt.
by casting up mounts, &c.--So far from Pharaoh doing so for Jerusalem, this was what Nebuchadnezzar did against it (
Jer 52:4). CALVIN MAURER, &c., refer it to Nebuchadnezzar, "when Nebuchadnezzar shall cast up mounts."
18 given his hand--in ratification of the oath (
2Kgs 10:15;
Ezra 10:19), and also in token of subjection to Nebuchadnezzar (
1Chr 29:24, Margin;
2Chr 30:8, Margin;
Lam 5:6).
19 mine oath--The "covenant" being sworn in God's name was really His covenant; a new instance in relation to man of the treacherous spirit which had been so often betrayed in relation to God. God Himself must therefore avenge the violation of His covenant "on the head" of the perjurer (compare
Ps 7:16).
20 my net-- (
Ezek 12:13;
Ezek 32:3). God entraps him as he had tried to entrap others (
Ps 7:15). This was spoken at least upwards of three years before the fall of Jerusalem (compare
Ezek 8:1, with
Ezek 20:1).
21 all his fugitives--the soldiers that accompany him in his flight.
22 When the state of Israel shall seem past recovery, Messiah, Jehovah Himself, will unexpectedly appear on the scene as Redeemer of His people (
Isa 63:5).
I . . . also--God opposes Himself to Nebuchadnezzar: "He took of the seed of the land and planted it (
Ezek 17:3,
Ezek 17:5), so will I, but with better success than he had. The branch he plucked (Zedekiah) and planted, flourished but for a time, to perish at last; I will plant a scion of the same tree, the house of David, to whom the kingdom belongs by an everlasting covenant, and it shall be the shelter of the whole world, and shall be for ever."
branch--the peculiar title of Messiah (
Zech 3:8;
Zech 6:12;
Isa 11:1;
Isa 4:2;
Jer 23:5;
Jer 33:15).
a tender one--Zerubbabel never reigned as a universal (
Ezek 17:23) king, nor could the great things mentioned here be said of him, except as a type of Messiah. Messiah alone can be meant: originally "a tender plant and root out of a dry ground" (
Isa 53:2); the beginning of His kingdom being humble, His reputed parents of lowly rank, though King David's lineal representatives; yet, even then, God here calls Him, in respect to His everlasting purpose, "the highest . . . of the high" (
Ps 89:27).
I . . . will plant it upon an high mountain--Zion; destined to be the moral center and eminence of grace and glory shining forth to the world, out-topping all mundane elevation. The kingdom, typically begun at the return from Babylon, and the rebuilding of the temple, fully began with Christ's appearing, and shall have its highest manifestation at His reappearing to reign on Zion, and thence over the whole earth (
Ps 2:6,
Ps 2:8;
Isa 2:2-
Isa 2:3;
Jer 3:17).
23 under it . . . all fowl--the Gospel "mustard tree," small at first, but at length receiving all under its covert (
Matt 13:32); the antithesis to Antichrist, symbolized by Assyria, of which the same is said (
Ezek 31:6), and Babylon (
Dan 4:12). Antichrist assumes in mimicry the universal power really belonging to Christ.
24 I . . . brought down the high--the very attribute given to God by the virgin mother of Him, under whom this was to be accomplished.
high . . . low tree--that is, princes elevated . . . lowered. All the empires of the world, represented by Babylon, once flourishing ("green"), shall be brought low before the once depressed ("dry"), but then exalted, kingdom of Messiah and His people, the head of whom shall be Israel (
Dan 2:44).
Vindication of God's moral government as to His retributive righteousness from the Jewish imputation of injustice, as if they were suffering, not for their own sin, but for that of their fathers. As in the seventeenth chapter he foretold Messiah's happy reign in Jerusalem, so now he warns them that its blessings can be theirs only upon their individually turning to righteousness.