Ezekiel 17:11-21

11 Then the word of the LORD came to me:
12 “Say to this rebellious people, ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Say to them: ‘The king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and carried off her king and her nobles, bringing them back with him to Babylon.
13 Then he took a member of the royal family and made a treaty with him, putting him under oath. He also carried away the leading men of the land,
14 so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to rise again, surviving only by keeping his treaty.
15 But the king rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt to get horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the treaty and yet escape?
16 “ ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, he shall die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose treaty he broke.
17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and great horde will be of no help to him in war, when ramps are built and siege works erected to destroy many lives.
18 He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he had given his hand in pledge and yet did all these things, he shall not escape.
19 “ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, I will repay him for despising my oath and breaking my covenant.
20 I will spread my net for him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment on him there because he was unfaithful to me.
21 All his choice troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to the winds. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken.

Ezekiel 17:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 17

Under the simile of two eagles and a vine are represented the kings of Babylon and Egypt, and the condition of the Jews, who are threatened with ruin for their perfidy; and yet a promise is made of the raising up of the house of Judah, and family of David, in the Messiah. The prophet is bid to deliver a riddle or parable to the house of Israel, Eze 17:1,2. The riddle or parable is concerning two eagles and a vine, which is delivered, Eze 17:3-10; and the explanation of it is in Eze 17:11-15; and then the destruction of the Jews is threatened for their treachery to the king of Babylon, Eze 17:16-21; and the chapter is closed with a promise of the Messiah, and the prosperity of his kingdom, Eze 17:22-24.

Cross References 25

  • 1. S Ezekiel 12:9
  • 2. S 2 Kings 24:15
  • 3. S Deuteronomy 21:10; S 2 Chronicles 36:10; Ezekiel 24:19
  • 4. S Exodus 23:32; S Jeremiah 37:1
  • 5. 2 Chronicles 36:13
  • 6. Isaiah 3:2
  • 7. Ezekiel 29:14
  • 8. Jeremiah 52:3
  • 9. S Isaiah 30:2; S Jeremiah 37:5
  • 10. S Deuteronomy 17:16
  • 11. S Psalms 56:7; S Isaiah 30:5; Jeremiah 34:3; Jeremiah 38:18; Ezekiel 29:16
  • 12. S Jeremiah 52:11; Ezekiel 12:13
  • 13. S 2 Kings 24:17
  • 14. Jeremiah 37:7
  • 15. S Ezekiel 4:2
  • 16. S Isaiah 36:6; Jeremiah 37:5; Ezekiel 29:6-7
  • 17. S 2 Kings 10:15; 1 Chronicles 29:24
  • 18. Jeremiah 7:9; S Ezekiel 16:59; Ezekiel 21:23; Hosea 10:4
  • 19. S Ezekiel 12:13; Ezekiel 32:3
  • 20. S Jeremiah 2:35; Ezekiel 20:36
  • 21. S Ezekiel 15:8
  • 22. S Ezekiel 12:14
  • 23. 2 Kings 25:11
  • 24. S Leviticus 26:33; S 2 Kings 25:5; Zechariah 2:6
  • 25. S Jeremiah 27:8
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