Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Mcrcij Promised in the End. EZEKIEL XVII. Parable of Two Eayles and a Vine.
p-inple; God's returning goodness alone would effect this,
4; Galatians 4.26, &e.) All the heathen natiims, not merely Sodom and Samaria, are nnaiit by"tliy sisters, elder and younger." In Jerusalem, first indivii Uial believers weregatiiered into the elect Church. From Jerusalem the gospel went forth to gather in individuals of the Gentiles; and Jerusalem and Judah sh.all also be thefirst nation which, as such, shall be converted to Christ; and to her the other nations shall attach themselves as believers in Messiah, Jerusalem's King (Psalm 110.2; Isaiah to hliow how entirely of grace was to be their restoration. The restoration of her erring sisters is mentioned before hers, even as their puuisliinent preceded her punishment; so all self-boasting is excluded. [Faiubairn.] " Ye sliall, indeed, at some time or other return, but Moal) and Amnion shall return with you, and some of the ten tribes." [Gkotius.] bring again . . . captivity —i. e., change the atfliction into prosperity (so Job 42. 10). Sodotii itself was not so restored (Jeremiah 20. 16), but Amnion and Jloab (lier representatives, as sprung from Lot who dwelt in Sodoin) were (Jeremiah 48. 47; 49. (i); probably most of the ten tribes and the adjoining nations, Ammou and Aloab, etc., were in part restored under Cyrus; but the full realization of the restoration is yet future
2. 2,3). " The king's daughter " in I'salm 4.5. 12-14 i.s hidah ; her "companions," as "tiie daugliter of Tyre," are llie nations given to her as converts, here called "daughters." not by thy covenant—This does not set aside the Old Testament in its spirit, but in its mere letter on whii h the Jews had rested, whilst thejbroke it: the latter ("thy covenant") was to give place to God's covenant of grace and promise in Christ who "fulfilled " the law. God means, "not that thou on thy part hast stood to the covenant, but that ' I am the Lord, I change wit ' (Malachi 3. 0) from my original love to thee in thy joutli " (see Romans 3. 3). Ca. (Hosea 2. 19, 20.) thou sliaJt know tliat 1 am the t.ord —not, as elsewhere, bj* thojudgments falling on tliee, but the heathen nations to be brought to Christ being typified by "Sodom," whose sins they now reproduce (Deuteronomy 32. o2). cai Jtivity of thy captives—lit., " of thy captivities." However, the gracious promise rather begins with the " uevertlieless " (y. 60), not here; for u. 59 is a threiit, not a promise. The sense here thus is. Thou shalt be i-i'stored wlien Sodom and Samaria are, but not till then
(v. 55), i. p., ?if rer. This applie.s to the guilty who should be utterly d;^st roved (u. 41, 42); but it does not contradict the subsequent promise of restoration to their posterity (Numbers 11. 2y-o:>), and to tlie elect remnant of grace. [Calvin. 1 5*. hvar tliine own sUamc—by being put on by mj' so marvellously restoring thee through grace. 63. neveiopcit thy mouth—in vindication, or even palliation, of thyself, or expostulation with God for His dealings (Romans 3. 19), when thou seest thine own exceeding unworthiuess, and my superabounding grace which has so wonderfully overcome with love thy sin (Romans 5. 2U). "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged" a level with those whom thou hast so much despised, thou art a eomfoi-t nnto tUem—since they see thee as miserable as themselves. It is a kind of melancholy "comfort" to tliose chastised to see others as sorely punished as themselves (ch. 14. 22, 23). 55. (iV'oZe, i'. 53.) 5G. Sodom was not «(ieiit(oned—Zii., was not for a report. Thou didst not deign to mention her name as if her case could p;issil)ly apply as a warning to thee, but itdid apply
(1 Corinthians 11.31). all that thou hast done—enhancing tliegrace of God which has pardoned so manjand -so great sins. Nothing so melts in to love and humility as the sense of the riches of God's pardoning grace (Luke 7. 47).
CHAPTER XVII.
(2 Peter 2. 0). 57. Before thy wlcltediiess was discovcrcd—manifested to all, riz., by the punishment in-
Ver. 1-21. Parable of the Two Gke.\t Eagles, and THE Cropping of the Cedar of Lebanon. Judah la TO BE Judged for Revolting from Babylon, which HAD SET UP ZeDEKIAH INSTEAD OF JEHOIACHIN, TO Egypt; God Himself, as the Rival op the Babylonian King, is to Plant the Gospel Cedar of Messiah. The date of the prophecy is between the sixth month of Zedekiah's sixth year of reign and the fifth month of the seventh year after the carrying away of Jehoiachin, i. e., five years before the destruction of Jerusalem. [Henderson.] 3. riddle-a continued allegory, expressed enigmaticallj', requiring more than common acumen and serious thought. The Hebrew is derived from a root, "sharp," i. e., calculated to stimulate attention and whet the intellect. Distinct from "fable," in that it teaclies 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 (Jeremiah 4S. 40; 49.22). Ills "wings" are his great forces. Such symbols were familiar to the Jews, who saw thera 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 (Psalm 103.5; Isaiah flicted on thee, thy reproach of . . . Syria and . . . PJiilislines—the indignity and injuries done thee by Syria a:id the Pli ilistines i2 Kings 16. 5; 2 Chronicles 28.
18; Isaiali 0. 11, 12,). 58. borne thy lewdness— t. e., the putisliment of i t (cli. 2:1. 4!)). I do not treat thee with excessive rigour. Thy sin and punishment are exactly commensurate. 59. the oatli—the covenant between God and Israel (Deuteronomy 29. 12, 14). As tliou hast despised it, so v;ill I despise thee. Ko covenant is one-sided; where Israel broke faitli, God's promise of favour ceased. 60. The promise here bursts forth unexpectedly lilie the sun from tlie darlc clouds. With all her forgetfulness of God, God still remembers her ; showing that her redemption is altoetlier of grace. Contrast "I will remember," wit!) "tliou hast not remembered" (v. 22, 43); also "my covenant," witli "Wi covenant" {v. 61 ; Psalm 106. 45) ; then the elt'ect produced on her is (u. 63), "that thou niayest remember." God's promise was one ofpromiseand of grace. The law, in its letter, was Israel's {" thy ") covenant, and in this restricted view was long subsequent (Galatians 3. 17). Israel interpreted it as a covenant of works, whicli she, whilst Ijoasting of, failed to fulfil, and so fell under its condemnation (2 Corinthians 3. 3, 6). The law, i)i its spirit, contains tlie germ of the gospel; the New Testament is the full development of the Old, the husk of the outer form being laid aside wlien the inner spirit was fulfilled in Messiah. God's covenant with Israel, in the person of Abraham, was tlie reason why, notwithstanding all her guilt, mercy was, and is, in store for her. Therefore tlie heathc!! or Gentile nations must come to her for blessings, not she to them, everlasting covenant—(ch. 37. 26; 2 Samuel 23. 5; Isaiah 55. 3). The temporary forms of the law were to be laid aside, that in Its permanent and " everlasting" spirit it might be established (Jeremiah 31. 31-37;
40. 31). Answering to the many peoples which, as tributaries, constituted the strength of Babylon, diven colours—the golden eagle, marked with starlike spots, supposed to be the largest of eagles. [Hooiiaut.] Answering to the variety of languages, habits, and costumes of the peoples sul)ject to Baliylon. cnme unto Licbanolk continuing the metaphor: as the eagle frequents moun-
82.40; 50.4,5; Hebrews 8.8-13). 01. thon shalt remember—It Is God who (Irst remembers her before she remembers Ilim and her own ways before Him (v. 00; ch. 20. 43; tains, not cities. The temple at Jerusalem was called "Lebanon" by the Jews (KuskdhisI, because its woodwork was wholly of cedars of li Cbanon. "The mountilln of the Lord's house" (Isaiah '2. 2). .Jn-iixalfni, however, m chiefly meuut, the chief seat ol civil honour, as Lebaaon
86. 31). ashamed—the fruit of repentance (2 Corinthians
7. 10, 11); none jilease God unless those who displease themselves ; a foretaste of the gospel (Luke IS. 9-14). I will give them unto thee for daug Uterg—(Isaiah 51. 1 ; (jO, 3, 580
God's Judymenl upon Jerusalem, EZEKIEL XVII. for HevolUng froui Babylon to Egypt.
was a counterpart to their treachery towards God. 13. he rebelled—God permitted this because of His wrath against Jerusalem (2 Kings 24. 20). liorses — in whicli Egypt abounded, and which were forbidden to Israel to seek from Egypt, or indeed to " multiply" at all (Deuteronomy was of extei-iial elevation, took the IiijIiest brancli— King "Jfconiali, tliea but eighteen years old, auu many of Mrchiefs and people with him (2 Kings 24.8,12-16).
'I'iie IJebrc'W lor "highest branch" is, properly, the JlecceUke tu/t at the top of the tree. So in ch. 31. 3-H. The
17. lU; Isaiali 31. i, 3; cf. Isaiali 30. 9). DtoDOiius .SicULU3 cedar, as a' tall tree, is the symbol of kingly elevation (cf. Daniel -1. 10-12). 4. land of traffic . . . merchaikts—Baby-
(1. 45) says that tlie wiiole region from Thebes to jMemphis was filled with royal stalls, so that 20,0U0 chariots with two horses in each could be furnished for war. Sliali he prosper 1—The third time this gueslioii is asked, with an indignant denial understood (U. 9, 10). Even .the heathen believed that breakers .of an oath would not "escape" punishment. 16. in the place wJiere tSic king dwc Ueth—righteous retribution. He brought on himself lo!i ,2 Kings 24. lo, Hi), famous for its transport traffic on t!;c Tigris and Eai)hrates; also, by its connection with the IVrsian Gulf, it carried on much commerce with liidia. 5. stfd of li>c land—not a foreign production, b'jl one native in the region; a son of the soil, not a foreigner ; Zi'dekiah, uncle of Jehoiachin, of Liavid's family, lu u triittful fivUl—tit., a field of seed-; i. e., fit for propagaliua and conliuuing tlie seed of the royal family, as a in the worst form the evil which, in a mild form, lie had
from a Hebrew root, "to overjlow," from souglit to deliver liimself from by perjured treachery, utz., vassalage (ch. 12. 13; Jeremiah 32. 5; 34. 3; 52. II). 17. Pharaoh— Pharaoh-hophra (Jeremiah 37. 7; 44. 30), the successor of Necho (2 Kings 23. 29). Neither . . . make for him— ii., "effect (anything) with him," i.e., be of any avail to Zedekiah. Pharaoh did not act in concert with iis loudness for water (Isaiah 41. 4). Judea was "a land of brooks water and fountains" (Deuteronomy 8.7-9; cf. John o. --ij. C vine «f low stature—not now, as before, a stalely "cedar;" the kingdom of Judah was to be prosperous, but not elevated, brandies turned toward Iilni —expressing lire fealty of Zedeliiah as a vassal looking up liini, for he was himself compelled to retire to Egypt, liy castltig up mounts, &c.—So far from Piiaraoh doing so to Nebuchadnezzar, to wiiom Judah owed its peace and vei'y existence as a separate slate. The " branches" mean
/or Jerusalem, this was what Nebuchadnezzar did ayainHt liis sons, and the oliier princes and nobles. The "roots under him" imply that the stability of Judali depended ou liabylon. Tiie rei)etition " branches" and "sprigs" is in order to mark the ingratitude of Zedekiah, wlio, not content with moderate prosperity, revolted from liim to it (Jeremiah 52. 4). CALVIN, MAUitEit, &c., refer it to Nebuchadnezzar, " when Nebuchadnezzar shall cast up mounts." 18. given his hand—in ratification of the oath
(2 Kings 10. 15 ; Ezra 10. 19), and also in token of subjection to Nebucliadnezzar (1 Ciironicles 29. 24, Margin; 2 Chronicles 30, 8, Margin; Lamentations 5. G). 19. mine oatii— the " covenant" being sworn in God's name was really His covenant; a new instance in relation to man of the treaclieroUs spirit which had been so often betrayed iii relation xviioni he had sworn allegiance. 7. anotiicr . . . eagle the king of Egypt (v. lb). The "long-winged" of v.'i is omitted, as Egypt iiad not such a wide empire and large armies as Babylon, vine . . . bend . . . roots towards Kim lU., "thirsted after him witli its roots;" happily expressing the longings after Egypt in tlie Jewish licart. Zedekiuh sought the alliance of Egypt, as though by it he could throw olt'his dependence ou Babylon (2 Kings 24. 7, 20; 2 Chronicles 30. 13; Jeremiali 37. 5, 7). water it by . . . furrows of . . . i>lan Sation i.e., in the garden beds (Judea) wherein (the vine; it was planted. IUvther,"i)^" or " out of the furrows," &c. It refers to the waters of Egypt, the Nile being made to water tlie fields by means of small to God. God Himself must therefore avenge the violation oi His cocenant "on the head" of the perjurer (cf. Psalm 7.
IG). ao. my net—(Ch. 12. 13; 32. 3.) God entraps him, as he had tried to entrap others (Psalm 7. 15). This was spoken at least upwards of three years before the fall of Jerusalem (cf. ch. 8. 1, with ch. 20. 1). 21. aU his fugitJiKes —the soldiers tliat accompany him in his flight, plead with him—by judgments on him (ch. 20. 36). S!iJ. Wlien the state of Israel shall seem past recovei'y, Messiah, Jehovah Himself, will unexpectedly appear on the scene as Redeemer of His people (Isaiah 63. 5). I . . . also—God opposes Himself to Nebuchadnezzar: "Je took of the seed of the laud aud planted it (v. 3, 5), so will I, but with better success than lie had. The brancli he plucked (Zedekiah) and planted, flourished but for a time to perish at last; J" will plant a scion of the same tree, the house of David, J,o whom the kingdom belongs by an everlasting covenant, and it shall be the shelter of the whole world, aud shall be for ever." branch—tlie peculiar title of Messiah (Zechariah .3. 8; G. 12; Isaiah 11. 1; 4. 2; Jeremiah 23.
cenals or "furrows;" tliese waters are the figure of the auxiliary forces wherewith Egypt tried to help Judah. See the same figure, Isaiah 8. 7. But .see Note, v. 10, " furrows where it t/rew.'" 8. It was planted in a good soli—It was not want of the necessaries of life, nor oppression on tiic part of Nebuchadnezzar, which caused Zedekiali to revolt: it was gratuitous ambition, pride, aud ingratitude. 9. Sliall it prosper !—Could it be that gratuitous treason should prosper? God will not allow it. "It,"
J. e., tlie vine, lie . . . pull up i. e., the first eagle, or \Nei)Uchadnezzar. In all . . . leaves of lier spring i. e.,
5; 33. 15). a tender one—Zerubbabel never reigned as a universal {v. 23) king, nor could tlie great things mentioned liere 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" (Isaiali 53. 2) ; the beginning of His kingdom being liunible. His reputed parents in lowly rank, though King David's lineal representatives; ail its sjjringing (sprouting) leaves, wltlioiit great power or many—it shall fiot need the whole forces of liabylon to destroy it; a small division of the army will suffice, because God will deliver it into Nebuchadnezzar's band (Jeremiah 37. lOj. 10. being planted i. c., tltouyh planted, east wind—the east wind was noxious to vegetation in Palestine; a tit emblem of Babylon, which came from the north-oast, -witlier in . . . furrows where it grew-Zedekiah was taken at Jericho, in Jewish soil (Je.-emiah 52. 8). "It shall witlier, although it has furrows from whicli it expects continual waterings" [Calvin], (ch. ivi. 12; Hosea 13. lo). li. Know ye not—He upbraided yet, even then, God here calls Him, in respect to His everlasting purpose, " the highest ... of the high" (Psalm 89.
27). I will plant it upon an Iiigit mountain — Zioil destined to be the moral centre and eminence of grace aud glory shining forth to the world, outtopping all mundane elevation. The kingdom, typically begun at the return from Babylon, and rebuilding of the temple, fully began with Christ's appearing, and shall have its liigliest manifestation at His reappearing to reign on Zion, and thence over the whole earth (Psalm 2. 6, 8 ; Isaiah 2. 2, 3; Jeremiah 3. 17). 33. under it . . . all fowl—the gospel "mustard tree," small at first, but at length receiving all under its covert (Matthew 13. 32); the antithesis to Antitill in with moral, leading to intellectual, stupidity. UatU taiten tike king—Jeconiali or Jehoiacliin (2 Kings 24. II,
12-l(i). 13. the king's seed—Zedekiah, Jeconiah's uncle, taken . . . oath of lim—swearing feaity as a vassal to Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chronicles 36. 13). also taken the luighty—as hostages for the fulfilment of tlie covenant; wiloin, therefore, Zedekiah exposed to death by his treason. 14. That the kingdom might be base i. e., low as to national elevation by being Nebuchadnezzar's depemianl; but, at the same time, safe and prosperous, if faitblul to the "oath.'" Nebuchadnezzar dealt sincerely K:\d openly in proposing conditions, and these moderate ouce ; therefore ZedekiaU'8 treachery was tUe baser, and christ, symbolized by Assyria, of which the same is said
(ch. 31. G), aud Babylon (Daniel 4. 12). Antichrist assumes in mimicry the universal power really belonging to Christ. !44. I . . . hrouglkt down the high— the very attribute given to God by tUe virgin mother of Him, under