Geneva Study Bible And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel; Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
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: And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great {a} eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had various colours, came to Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:
(a) That is, Nebuchadnezzar who had great power, riches and many countries under him, will come to Jerusalem and take away Jeconiah the king, as in Eze 17:12. He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants. He cropped off the top of its young twigs, and carried it into a land of {b} trade; he set it in a city of merchants.
(b) Meaning to Babylon. He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree. He took also of the {c} seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.
(c) That is, Zedekiah who was of the king's blood and was left at Jerusalem and made king instead of Jeconiah, 2Ki 24:17, Jer 37:1. And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs. And it grew, and became {d} a spreading vine of {e} low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.
(d) This was Zedekiah's kingdom. (e) That is, might not have power to rebel against Babylon, as in Eze 17:14. There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation. There was also {f} another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.
(f) Meaning, the king of Egypt from whom Zedekiah sought comfort against Nebuchadnezzar. It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine. It was planted in a good soil by great {g} waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a well favoured vine.
(g) They thought to be moistened by the waters of the Nile. Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof. Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall {h} he not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it may wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by its roots.
(h) Shall not Nebuchadnezzar destroy it? Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew. Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, {i} when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.
(i) By this dry wind he means the Babylonians. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon; Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon hath come to Jerusalem, and hath taken {k} its king, and its princes, and led them with him to Babylon;
(k) That is, Jeconiah, 2Ki 24:15. And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land: And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken {l} an oath from him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:
(l) For his subjection and obedience. That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand. That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.
But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered? But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?
As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.
Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons: Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:
Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape. Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given {m} his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.
(m) Because he took the name of God in vain, and broke his oath which he had confirmed by giving his hand: therefore the prophet declares that God would not permit such perjury and infidelity to escape punishment. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.
And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me. And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.
And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it. And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it.
Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent: Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch {n} of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the {o} top of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
(n) This promise is made to the Church which will be as a small remnant, and as the top of a tree. (o) I will trim it, and dress it. In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a well favoured cedar: and under it shall dwell all {p} fowl of every wing; in the shadow of its branches shall they dwell.
(p) Both the Jews and Gentiles will be gathered into it. And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it. And all the {q} trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it. (q) All the world will know that I have plucked down the proud enemies, and set up my Church which was low and contemned. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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