Ezekiel 17:3

Eze 17:3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:

Ver. 3. A great eagle with great wings.] An eagle, that king of birds, is a fit emblem of an emperor; {a} as it is here of Nebuchadnezzar the Great. {Eze 17:12 Jer 48:40; Jer 49:22} Monarchs, as eagles, have quick eyes, long talons, fly high pitches, aim at great matters, strive to get above all others, choose themselves high and firm seats, &c. See Job 39:27-30, with the notes. Ajax is called αιτος, an eagle, in Pindarus; so is King Pyrrhus in Plutarch, and took delight in that title. The Spaniard was well laughed at by Captain Drake and his forces when they took Santo Domingo, 1585, and found in the townhall the King of Spain’s arms, and under them a globe of the world, out of which issued, not a well-plumed eagle, but a flying home, with this inscription, Non sufficit orbis the world is not enough. We could not so well bridle his Pegasus at Santo Domingo, yet we put a stop to him at Jamaica; but we have lately pulled his plumes in Flanders to some purpose, by gaining from him Dunkirk, now {b} held by the English, and likewise Berghen, another place of great strength, now held by the French; the good news whereof came to us yesterday, being June 27, 1658. Praised be the holy name of God for ever.

Came unto Lebanon,] i.e., Unto Judea, which lieth near the forest of Lebanon, which forest also lieth in the way from Babylon to Judea.

And took the highest branch of the cedar.] Taleam, the top branch. This was Jeconiah. {2Ki 24:12}

{a} Vide Pier. in Hieroglyph.

{b} This was written June 28, 1658.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 17:3-6. A great eagle with great wings — The eagle is the king of birds, swift, strong, and rapacious. And this great eagle, according to all interpreters, represents Nebuchadnezzar. Its “greatness, long wings, beautiful, abundant, and well-coloured plumage, denote the force and greatness of his empire, the rapidity of his conquests, and the number of his subjects. The Scripture has in other places described this prince under the figure of an eagle. See Jer 48:40-45; Dan 7:4. By his coming to Lebanon, and taking the highest branch of the cedar, is meant his invasion of Judea, his investing the city of Jerusalem, and taking King Jehoiachin and the princes captive.” — Calmet. He cropped off the top of his young twigs — Both the king of Judah, now eighteen years old, and the nobles and chief of the land. And carried it into a land of traffic — “Babylon, and the country about it, being the seat of a universal monarchy, must needs have been a place of great trade. Strabo takes notice that the merchants who travelled by land to Babylon went through the country of the Abrabians, called Scenitæ, lib. 16. p. 747; and vessels of great burden came up the river Euphrates to the walls of it from the Persian gulf.” See Pliny’s Nat. Hist., 50. 6. c. 26; and Lowth. He took also of the seed of the land — Of the king’s seed, as it is explained Eze 17:13: that is, Zedekiah, whom the king of Babylon made king of Judah instead of Jehoiachin; first exacting an oath of him, that he would be true to him, and pay him tribute. And he planted it in a fruitful field — Hebrew, בשׂדת זרע, in a field of seed, that is, proper for seed: he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow-tree — Judea was a fruitful country and well watered, (see Deu 8:7,) where Zedekiah flourished as a willow-tree, that thrives best in moist ground, Isa 44:4. And it became a spreading vine of low stature, &c. — Though Zedekiah flourished, yet he enjoyed but a tributary kingdom under the king of Babylon, and acknowledged him as his lord and sovereign: see Eze 17:14.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17:3-6 Babylon was the city filled with merchants (see 16:29).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

That is, Nebuchadnezzar, who hath great power, riches, and many countries under him, shall come to Jerusalem, and take away Jeconiah the King, as verse 12.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

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 (Psa 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 (Kg2 24:8, Kg2 24:12-16). The Hebrew for "highest branch" is, properly, the fleece-like tuft at the top of the tree. (So in Eze 31:3-14). The cedar, as a tall tree, is the symbol of kingly elevation (compare Dan 4:10-12).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 3. A great eagle] Nebuchadnezzar. See Jer 48:40; Jer 49:22; Da 7:4. And see here, Eze 17:12, where it is so applied.

Great wings] Extensive empire.

Long-winged] Rapid in his conquests.

Full of feathers] Having multitudes of subjects.

Divers colours] People of various nations.

Came unto Lebanon] Came against Judea.

The highest branch] King Jehoiachin he took captive to Babylon.

The cedar] The Jewish state and king.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Here the Prophet reasons from the greater to the less: for if Nebuchadnezzar was able to subdue the whole kingdom with ease, when as yet the Jews were untouched, how much more readily would he overthrow them when wretched and all but ruined: for nothing remained which was not threatened with ruin; and this is the meaning of the Prophet. But he compares King Nebuchadnezzar to an eagle, whom he says was great, and then with large or extended wings. There is no doubt that by wings, feathers, and plumes, he means the regions and peoples over which Nebuchadnezzar presided; for we know that the Chaldaeans possessed the monarchy of the East. Since, therefore, so many regions and people obeyed Nebuchadnezzar’s sway, it is not surprising that the Prophet calls him a great eagle, with ample wings, and with numerous feathers or plumes; for where he now says, מלא הנוצה, mela henotzeh, full of feathers, he will shortly say, רב נוצה, reb notzeh, many feathers, when speaking of the king of Egypt. He says, the wings were of divers colors; it is the same noun which the Prophet used in the last chapter, when he said that the people were clad in precious garments; for thus the Hebrews speak of Phrygian texture: hence he compares the wings of the king of Babylon to a woven garment, resplendent with various colors; for although Nebuchadnezzar held his throne at only one place, yet he had seized and subdued many tributaries on all sides. This, therefore, is the reason for this variety; — but I cannot proceed further at present.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(3) A great eagle with great wings.—In the original “the great eagle.” This is explained in Eze_17:12 of “the king of Babylon.” Nebuchadnezzar is compared to an eagle also in Jer_48:40; Jer_49:22; and Cyrus to a bird of prey in Isa_46:11. He has great and long wings, because he has already flown victoriously over wide-spread lands; and he is “full of feathers which had divers colours,” because he had embraced in his empire a variety of nations differing in languages, manners, and customs.

Came unto Lebanon.—Jerusalem is called Lebanon, as in Jer_22:23; because Lebanon is the home of the cedar, and the royal palace in Jerusalem was so rich in cedar as to be called “the house of the forest of Lebanon” (1Ki_7:2).

The highest branch.—This is a word occurring only in Ezekiel (Eze_17:22, and Eze_31:3-4; Eze_31:10). It is of uncertain etymology, but is explained in Eze_17:4 as meaning “the top of his young twigs.” The English branch hardly conveys the exact idea, and it would be better to translate “topshoot.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. longwinged] With long pinions. The eagle was also of “divers colours” or speckled, with reference possibly to the very diverse nationalities included in the Babylonian empire.

came unto Lebanon] The figure of the eagle coming to Lebanon and cropping off the highest branch and top of the young twigs (Eze_17:4) represents the carrying off of those highest in the land of Israel. Lebanon as opposed to Babylon is the mountain of Palestine; the cedar, the tree of Lebanon, appears to represent the royal Davidic house (Eze_17:12; Eze_17:22), and its highest branches king Jehoiachin and the princes who were carried away to Babylon (Eze_17:12). On “land of traffic” (Eze_17:4), cf. ch. Eze_16:29.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He cropped off the top of his young twigs,.... By which are meant the princes of the land, or the several branches of the royal family; the top of which was King Jeconiah, who was but young and tender, being but eighteen years of age when he began his reign, and this was within three months after; and who was no more able to withstand the force of the king of Babylon, than a tender twig so ravenous a bird as an eagle, Kg2 24:8; whose superior power and strength is signified by the cropping off of a tender twig:

and carried it into a land of traffic; not into the land of Canaan, as the Septuagint, and some other versions, literally render it; but into Babylon, which was become a place of great merchandise, through the great concourse of people to it, and the large additions made to the empire:

he set it in a city of merchants; meaning the city of Babylon, perhaps in particular, as distinct from the country before mentioned: the word for "merchants" signifies "apothecaries" or "druggists" (p); and may design such merchants as traded in sweet spices and aromatic drugs. The words may be rendered, "and brought it out of the land of Canaan" (q); out of which Jeconiah and his nobles were carried by the king of Babylon; so the particle sometimes signifies "from", or "out of", as in Kg1 8:30; and others (r), "and in a city of merchants he set it"; in Babylon, famous for merchants; whom the Jews, being captives, were obliged to attend in a servile manner.

(p) "aromatariorum", Junius & Tremellius, Polinus. So Stockius, p. 1017. (q) "tetra Chanaan", Texelius, Phoenix, l. 3. c. 4. sect. 6. p. 205. (r) Vid. Noldii Concord. Part. Ebr. p. 56.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

A great eagle ... - Probably the golden eagle, whose plumage has the variety of color here depicted. The eagle (the king of birds) is a natural representative of monarchs (compare, Jer 48:40), and was an Assyrian emblem.

With great wings, Iongwinged - literally, “great of wing, long of pinion,” because he has swept victoriously over widely distant lands - of divers colors, because his subjects are of various races and tongues. Jerusalem is here called “Lebanon” because Lebanon is the proper home of the cedar. The “highest branch” or “topshoot” is Jeconiah, the rightful king of Jerusalem, the “young twigs” are his children and the princes carried by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

A large eagle. Nabuchodonosor, king of Babylon. (Challoner) --- The multitude of his subjects, and his rapid and cruel conquests, are designated. (Calmet) --- He spoils the vineyard of Jerusalem, notwithstanding the Jews had applied to another eagle, the king of Egypt, ver. 12. (Worthington) --- Libanus. That is, Jerusalem; (Challoner) or invaded the country, (Calmet) entering by Libanus. (Haydock) --- Cedar. King Jechonias (Challoner) and his nobles, (4 Kings xxiv. 11.) with the most precious effects.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

A great eagle; Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, as Eze 17:12, compared to a great eagle, king of birds, swift, strong, rapacious, and of a lofty flight.

With great wings; mighty provinces on each side of his kingdom.

Long-winged; his kingdom was vastly extended, as Dan 3:3; 4:1; the greatest king then living.

Full of feathers; his kingdom was very full of people.

Which had divers colours; were of divers nations, languages, and manners, so that this eagle, nay be well thought to be that sort which is greatest in the kind, and best resembleth him, who was the greatest monarch in the world at that time.

Came; invaded with a mighty army; he came not as a traveller to please his curiosity, but as an invader to enlarge his dominion.

Unto Lebanon; either the temple built with cedars of Lebanon; or Jerusalem, the chief city of the country where this great, fruitful, and pleasant hill was; or the whole country set forth by its chiefest hill, which runs about a hundred and twenty-five miles in length, and encloseth the land of Judea on the north side.

Took; took captive and carried away with him.

The highest branch; the king of Judah, Jehoiachin.

Of the cedar; either the royal family, or rather, the whole nation of the Jews.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. A great eagle with great wings — This well described Nebuchadnezzar, swift, strong, and rapacious, whose mighty provinces were widespread (long-winged) and full of people (feathers), composed of all manner of nations, languages and manners (diverse colors). — Wesley. The figure of the eagle as applied to conquerors was a common one and had also been used by Jeremiah of Nebuchadnezzar (Jer_49:22).

The highest branch of the cedar — The cedar was the royal tree of Palestine, as Lebanon was its most royal mountain. The highest branch of the cedar was the king Jehoiachin and the “top of his young twigs” (Eze_17:4) symbolized the princes of the royal house (Eze_17:12; Eze_17:22).

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The eagle with great wings and long pinions (Revised Version) probably the golden eagle, the largest species of the genus stands for Nebuchadnezzar, as it does in Jer_48:40 Jer_49:22. in Isa_46:11 the "ravenous bird" represents Cyrus. Possibly the eagle head of the Assyrian god Nisroch (2Ki_19:37; Isa_37:38) may have impressed the symbolism on Ezekiel"s mind. A doubtful etymology gives "the great eagle" as the meaning of Nisroch. The divers colours indicate the variety of the nations under the king"s sway. (Dan_3:4:4:1) If the cedar was chosen to t,e the symbol of the monarchy of Judah, then it followed that Lebanon, as the special home of the cedar, should take its place in the parable. Possibly the fact that one of the stateliest palaces of Solomon was known as the "house of the forest of Lebanon" (1Ki_7:2 1Ki_10:17, 1Ki_10:21) may have made the symbolism specially suggestive. The word for highest branch is peculiar to Ezekiel (here and in ver. 22). The branch so carried off was carried into "a land of traffick" (Hebrew, LXX, and Vulgate, "a land of Canaan," the word being generalized in its meaning, as in Eze_16:29) i.e. to Babylon, as preeminently the merchant city of the time. This, of course, refers to Nebuchadnezzar"s deportation of Jeconiah and the more eminent citizens of Jerusalem. (2Ki_24:8-15)

Vers. 3-10. The parable of the two eagles.

I THE FIRST EAGLE AND THE CEDAR. The eagle is the King of Babylon. The cedar is the house of David. Nebuchadnezzar cut off the topmost twigs of this tree when he deported Jehoiakim and his court to Babylon.

1. God uses powerful instruments. The eagle is the king of birds. The one here described is of exceptional splendour, with variegated plumage (ver. 3). Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful monarch of his age, and he carried with him the glory of conquest over various nations, together with those resources which he drew from them which added to the sweep of his mighty wings of victory. Yet this awful tyrant was a puppet in the hands of the King of kings, who used him to work out deep designs of providence.

2. Earthly greatness is no security against ruin. The house of David was great, ancient, and glorious, like a cedar of Lebanon among the trees of the forest. No cattle of the field could pluck the topmost twigs that waved proudly in the wind. But the eagle swooped down upon them, tore them off, and bore them away to his distant eyrie, with greater ease than if they had been obscure boughs of lowly shrubs. The greatness of the house of David did not protect Jehoiakim against Nebuchadnezzar when the Babylonian monarch seized that wretched king and carried him captive to Chaldea. There is an earthly exaltation which springs from the favour of Heaven. Yet when that favour is lost, all its former glory will not save it. Let no one boast in his privileges and attainments; they are flimsy shields before the fiery darts of judgment.

II THE SECOND EAGLE AND THE VINE. This eagle is Pharaoh of Egypt. The vine is Zedekiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar set up as king in Jerusalem in place of Jehoiachin.

1. It is better to be fruitful than famous. If Zedekiah had acted wisely he might have had a sale, though a humble, reign. He could no longer rule in pride, like Jehoiakim before him, as the top twig of a glorious cedar; but as a lowly young vine, feeble and small, he might bear good fruit. A humble, useful life is better than one of proud pretensions, and safer too; for the vine would not have attracted the destroying eagle if it had grown in quiet.

2. The feeble are tempted to seek inefficient help. The vine appealed to a second eagle. Zedekiah sought an alliance with Pharaoh. This was bad policy, for it was certain to provoke the vengeance of Babylon, and then even the might of the ancient empire of Egypt would be unequal to cope with the enraged power from the Euphrates, even if Pharaoh proved true to his alliance in the hour of need. But Zedekiah was more than politically foolish. He had lost faith in God, the one sure Protector of Israel. Men trust to policy, money, friendship, etc. But no earthly alliance will save in the hour of greatest need.

3. Confidence in a worthless defence will lead to ruin. The vine had better never have appealed to the second eagle. Zedekiah suffered grievously through leaning on Egypt. If we turn from our true Refuge to any earthly supports, we shall not only find them fail us; we shall also provoke wrath and judgment. Deceitful cunning will only aggravate the fate of the sinner. Zedekiah"s treachery made his doom the more certain.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A great eagle - Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is compared to a great eagle, the king of birds, swift, strong, rapacious. Great wings - Mighty provinces on each side of his kingdom. Long winged - His kingdom was widely extended. Full of feathers - And full of people. Divers colours - Who were of divert nations, languages and manners. Lebanon - Jerusalem the chief city of the country where this great, fruitful and pleasant hill was. And took - Took, captive and carried away with him the king of Judah, Jehoiachin. The cedar - The nation.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

long pinions Heb. אֵבֶר like כָּנָף, wing, aile in French. Another explanation: as its apparent meaning, an expression of actual limbs.

diverse colors Heb. קָרְמָה [lit. embroidered]. Its feathers are beautiful and ornate.

the lofty top of the cedar Heb. צַמֶרֶת, all the foliage of the tree, cime in French. This is a parable representing Jehoiakim and his mighty men.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.