Ezekiel 17:3
17:3 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 Ezekiel 17:12.

Ezekiel 17:4
17:4 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.

Ezekiel 17:5
17:5 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,
         2 Kings 24:17, Jeremiah 37:1.

Ezekiel 17:6
17:6 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 Ezekiel 17:14.

Ezekiel 17:7
17:7 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.

Ezekiel 17:8
17:8 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.

Ezekiel 17:9
17:9 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?

Ezekiel 17:10
17:10 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.

Ezekiel 17:12
17:12 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, 2 Kings 24:15.

Ezekiel 17:13
17:13 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.

Ezekiel 17:18
17:18 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.

Ezekiel 17:22
17:22 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.

Ezekiel 17:23
17:23 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.

Ezekiel 17:24
17:24 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.