Ezekiel 17:1 - Meaning and Application

We should read these verses together, so we can see the parable and its meaning at once. They explain each other. The prophet is told to present a riddle to the house of Israel (Ezekiel 17:2), but this is not meant to keep God’s message hidden from them. He is not to leave them guessing, as people often do when they try to solve a puzzle.

He is to explain the meaning right away. Paul says that if someone speaks in an unknown language, he should pray that he can interpret it (1 Corinthians 14:13). Even so, the message is first given as a riddle or parable so people will notice it more, feel it more deeply, and remember it better. God often used comparisons through his prophets, and Jesus himself often spoke in parables.

Riddles and parables can entertain us and catch the attention of our friends. God used this kind of speech to see whether his words, when dressed this way, might reach a careless people. Ministers should look for words that are easy to receive and should try different ways to do good. As far as it helps people grow, they should bring familiar things into preaching, and also let their preaching shape everyday talk, so there is not such a wide gap between what they say in church and what they say elsewhere.

The prophet is also told to explain the riddle to the rebellious house (Ezekiel 17:12). Even though their rebellion made them deserving of being left in ignorance, the meaning will still be shown to them. They could ask, “Do you know what these things mean?” Those who knew the history and the troubles now unfolding might make a likely guess at the meaning. But so that they would have no excuse, the prophet must give it in plain terms, without the figure.

Still, the riddle was first given for them to think about for a while. They could even send word to their friends in Jerusalem and ask about it, and then wait for the answer. Now let us see the message itself. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had already carried off Jehoiachin, also called Jeconiah, when he was eighteen and had ruled in Jerusalem only three months, along with the princes and leading men, and taken them to Babylon (2 Kings 24:12). In the parable, this is shown by an eagle clipping the top and tender branch of a cedar and carrying it to a land of trade, a city of merchants (Ezekiel 17:3, 4), which is explained in Ezekiel 17:12.

The king of Babylon took the king of Jerusalem as easily as a young twig can be snapped by a bird of prey. Nebuchadnezzar is called a lion in Daniel’s vision, the king of beasts (Daniel 7:4), and there he has eagle’s wings, showing how swift his movements and conquests were. Here he is pictured as an eagle, the king of birds, a great eagle that lives by plunder and bloodshed, like the birds in Job 39:30. His rule stretches far, like the eagle’s broad wings. His people are many, so he is full of feathers. His court is splendid, with many colors, like embroidered cloth.

Jerusalem is compared to Lebanon, a forest of houses, beautiful and fruitful. The royal family is the cedar, and Jehoiachin is the top branch, the highest young twig, which the eagle cuts off. Babylon is the land of trade and the city of merchants where the branch is placed. The king of Judah, as David’s descendant, would feel deeply lowered and shamed by being lodged among traders, but he must take the best he can from it.

When Nebuchadnezzar brought him to Babylon, he made Jehoiachin’s uncle Zedekiah king in his place (Ezekiel 17:5, 6). His name had been Mattaniah, meaning “gift of the Lord,” but Nebuchadnezzar changed it to Zedekiah, meaning “the justice of the Lord,” to remind him to act justly under the eye of the God he claimed as his own. Zedekiah was one of the native royal family, not a foreign man from Babylon. He was planted in a fertile field, because Jerusalem was still in a rich and promising condition.

He was set by great waters, where he would be likely to grow, like a willow, which grows fast and does best in wet ground, though it is never meant to become a great tree. God’s hand, through Nebuchadnezzar, arranged things carefully, so that the kingdom might grow, but not become too large. Nebuchadnezzar took some of the king’s seed (Ezekiel 17:13) and made a covenant with him, giving him the kingdom and royal power if he would remain under Babylon’s rule. He also made him swear an oath, swearing by the God of Israel that he would be a faithful subject (2 Chronicles 36:13).

He took away the mighty men of the land, the chief soldiers, partly as hostages to secure the agreement, and partly to weaken the country so the king would be less able, and less tempted, to break his pledge. The purpose is stated in Ezekiel 17:14, that the kingdom might be low in both honor and strength, so it would not rival stronger neighbors or frighten weaker ones, as it had done before. At the same time, the arrangement was meant to let the kingdom continue by keeping the covenant. In this, the proud wishes of that arrogant ruler were served, for he wanted to make himself like the Most High (Isaiah 14:14) and have everyone around him subject to him.

Here we can see how sin changed the royal house of Judah. There was a time when the nations around paid tribute to Judah, but now Judah itself had become a tributary. How the gold had dimmed! Sin makes nations sell their freedom, and rulers sell their honor, and they dishonor their crowns by casting them down.

We also see how wisely Zedekiah acted for his own good when he accepted these terms, even though they were humiliating and forced on him by necessity. A man can live well and contentedly even if he cannot make the same show he once did. A kingdom can stand firmly and safely even if it no longer stands as high as before, and the same is true of a family.

While Zedekiah remained faithful to the king of Babylon, he was doing well. If he had also reformed his kingdom and returned to God and his duty, he would have done better still, and by that means he might soon have recovered his former dignity (Ezekiel 17:6).

This plant grew. Though it was set like a willow tree and thought to be of little value, it became a spreading vine of low height. It was still a great blessing to its own land, and its fruit made people glad. It is better to be a spreading vine of low height than a tall cedar that is useless.

Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, was pleased with it, because its branches turned toward him and rested on him like a vine on a wall. He also had his share of the fruit, and the roots of the vine were under him and at his disposal. The people of Judah had reason to be pleased too, because they sat under their own vine, which sent out branches and fresh shoots and looked promising. See how slowly God’s judgments came on this provoking people. He gave them time, and in that time he gave them room to repent.

He made their kingdom low, to see whether that would humble them, before he made it no kingdom at all. He left them with an easier condition, to see whether that might lead them back to him and keep the threatened troubles away. But Zedekiah, the king of Judah, did not know when he was well off. He grew tired of being a tributary, that is, a ruler who paid taxes to another king, and he secretly made an alliance with the king of Egypt.

Zedekiah had no reason to complain that the king of Babylon had treated him harshly, taken more from him, or made his people poorer. The prophet had already shown that he was in a fair position to become great (Ezekiel 17:6). He had been planted in good soil by abundant waters, so his family and treasury could have been built up quickly. If he had stayed faithful, he might have become a fine vine. But he loved and trusted another great eagle, the king of Egypt (Ezekiel 17:7).

These two powerful rulers, Babylon and Egypt, were like great eagles, birds of prey. Egypt is described as having great wings, but not as wide-ranging as Babylon, because Egypt was strong, but its kingdom was not as large. It is also said to have many feathers, meaning much wealth and many soldiers, which Zedekiah trusted as a real defense. Yet they were no more than feathers.

Zedekiah promised himself freedom, but by seeking Egypt’s help he made himself a slave to Egypt’s king, foolishly hoping for ease by changing masters. So the vine secretly bent its roots toward the king of Egypt, that great eagle. After a while, it openly stretched out its branches toward him, showing how much it wanted an alliance. It hoped he would water it, even though it was already planted by great waters and needed no help from him. This is explained later (Ezekiel 17:15).

Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon by sending his messengers into Egypt, asking for horses and many soldiers so he could fight Babylon. See what sin had done to God’s people. God had promised they would be as numerous as the sand by the sea, yet now their king had to go to Egypt for soldiers, because sin had reduced them and brought them low (Psalm 107:39). See also the foolishness of restless, unhappy people, who ruin themselves by trying to improve their lot, when they could be content and happy if they would make the best of what they have.

God then threatens Zedekiah with the complete destruction of both him and his kingdom, because of his treacherous revolt against the king of Babylon. In the parable, this is shown by pulling up the vine by the roots, cutting off its fruit, and making its leaves wither, even the leaves of spring when they are still green (Job 8:12). The plan will fail completely. The affairs of this faithless prince will be ruined beyond recovery. Like a vine burned by the east wind, so that it is fit only for the fire (Ezekiel 15:4), it will wither even in the furrows where it grew, though they were well watered.

It will be destroyed without needing great power or many people to pull it up. What need is there of calling out an army to uproot a vine? God can bring great things to pass without much effort. He does not need large forces to carry out his purposes. A small handful is enough if he chooses. He can ruin a sinful king and kingdom without trouble, as easily as we root up a weed that only clutters the ground.

The explanation of the parable gives the sentence in full: Shall he prosper? (Ezekiel 17:15). Can he expect to do evil and still do well? Shall the one who breaks covenant escape the punishment his treachery deserves? No. Let him hear his sentence.

First, the sentence is confirmed by God’s oath (Ezekiel 17:16). “As I live,” says the Lord God, “he will die for it.” This shows how deeply God hated the crime and how certain and severe the punishment would be. God swears in his anger, as he did in (Psalm 95:11). Just as God confirms his promises with an oath for the comfort of his people, so he confirms his warnings with an oath for the terror of the wicked. As sure as God lives and is happy, so surely, and for as long, will unrepentant sinners die and remain miserable.

Second, the punishment is justified by how serious the crime was. He had been very ungrateful to the one who had made him king and promised to protect him. That one could just as easily have made him a prisoner. It is a sin against God to be unkind to our friends and to strike back at those who helped raise us up.

He had also been false to the one with whom he had made a covenant, and this is the main point. He despised the oath. When his conscience or his friends reminded him of it, he treated it lightly, acted boldly, and broke it (Ezekiel 17:15, Ezekiel 17:16, Ezekiel 17:18, Ezekiel 17:19). He broke through it and was proud of treating it as nothing. This was like a great ruler in our own day whose rule, it is said, is that princes should only keep their word when it suits them.

What made Zedekiah’s treachery worse was that the oath he had sworn to the king of Babylon was, first, a solemn oath. Special weight is given to this (Ezekiel 17:18): he had given his hand, like a partner with the king of Babylon, not only as his subject, but as his friend. Joining hands was a sign of joining hearts.

It was also a sacred oath. God says (Ezekiel 17:19), “It is my oath that he has despised, and my covenant that he has broken.”

In every serious oath, God is called on as a witness of the one who swears honestly. He is also called on as judge and avenger if that person later lies or breaks the oath. The oath of loyalty to a ruler is specially called an oath to God (Ecclesiastes 8:2), as if it were even more sacred than other oaths, because rulers are God's servants for our good (Romans 13:4).

Zedekiah’s breaking of this oath and covenant is the sin God will repay on his own head (Ezekiel 17:19). It is the offense he committed against God, and God says he will deal with him for it (Ezekiel 17:20). Perjury, which means swearing falsely or breaking a sworn promise, is a terrible sin and deeply offends the God of heaven.

It is no excuse that the man who took this oath was a king, even a king from David’s family. A king’s rank and freedom do not place him above oaths. Kings may seem like gods to us, but they are only men before God, and they are not free from his law or his judgment. A prince is surely as firmly bound before God to his people by his coronation oath as the people are bound to their ruler by their oath of loyalty.

It is also no excuse that the oath was given to the king of Babylon, a pagan ruler, even a worse one than a heretic. Some wrongly say that no faith must be kept with such people. But though Nebuchadnezzar worshiped false gods, the true God will still punish the breaking of a treaty made with him. Truth is a duty owed to all people. If those who profess the true religion act deceitfully toward those of a false religion, that will not excuse them. It makes their sin worse, because they give the Lord’s enemies reason to speak against him. A Muslim ruler once said this when Christians broke their treaty with him: “O Jesus, are these your Christians?”

It also would not excuse Zedekiah that the oath was forced on him by a conqueror. The covenant was made for a fair price. He kept his life and crown on the condition that he would be faithful and loyal to the king of Babylon. If he enjoys the benefit of that agreement, it is deeply unjust not to keep its terms. Let him know, then, that because he despised the oath and broke the covenant, he will not escape.

If the breaking of such an oath, to such a ruler, is punished this severely, how much worse will be the punishment of those who break covenant with God. They had given their hand and promised faithfulness, yet they trample underfoot the blood of that covenant as if it were something unclean. There is no comparison between the two covenants.

The punishment is then shown in specific ways that fit the sin. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon, and the king of Babylon would become his true conqueror. In the very place where that king lived, whose covenant Zedekiah had broken, Zedekiah would die, even in Babylon itself (Ezekiel 17:16). He thought he could get away, but he would fall even more fully into that king’s hands. God himself would now side with the king of Babylon against him: “I will spread my net over him” (Ezekiel 17:20). God has a net for those who act treacherously and think they can escape his fair judgment. Those who would not be held by an oath and covenant will be caught and held there.

Zedekiah feared Babylon, and God says, “There I will bring him, and I will deal with him there.” People are often forced into the very trouble they try to escape by sin. Zedekiah also relied on the king of Egypt, but Egypt would be a useless helper. Pharaoh, with his mighty army, would not help him in the war (Ezekiel 17:17). Egypt would do him no service and stop none of the Chaldean attack. It would not help in the siege by building walls and forts, or in battle by killing many men. Every creature becomes to us what God makes it become. He often weakens and dries up the arm of flesh that we trust in and lean on.

So what was said before was fulfilled again: the Egyptians would help in vain (Isaiah 30:7). They did help in that empty way. When the Egyptian army came near, the Chaldeans withdrew from Jerusalem’s siege, but after Egypt turned back, they returned and took the city. It seems the Egyptians were not eager to help. They may have had enough strength, but they had no real good will toward Zedekiah. Those who deal treacherously with people who trust them will justly be dealt with treacherously by the ones they trust.

The Egyptians were not the only support Zedekiah leaned on. He also had his own troops ready to stand by him, but they too would fail. Though we may think they were veteran soldiers and the best his kingdom had, they would become fugitives. They would leave their posts, run for their lives, and fall by the enemy’s sword. The survivors would be scattered (Ezekiel 17:21). This was fulfilled when the city was broken up and all the men of war fled (Jeremiah 52:7). “Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken it.” God’s word will prove true in time, and those who will not believe it will learn its force by experience.