Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Ezekiel 17:23

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Ezekiel 17:23. In the mountain of the height of Israel — He shall make his appearance at the temple, and found his Church at Jerusalem.

Shall bring forth boughs — Apostles, evangelists, and their successors in the Gospel ministry.

And bear fruit — Multitudes of souls shall be converted by their preaching.

And under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing — All the nations of the earth shall receive his Gospel.

In the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. — Trust in him alone for salvation, and be saved in their trusting.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

God’s promise (17:22-24)

Returning to the former illustration, Ezekiel shows that God, not an eagle, will now take a branch from the top of the cedar tree. He will plant it on the top of a mountain, where it will grow into a huge and magnificent tree, bringing benefits to birds and animals of all kinds (22-23). (From the Davidic line of kings God will take one, the Messiah, and through him establish a kingdom that will bring blessing to the whole world.) High trees will be made low and green trees will dry up, but God’s tree will flourish (24). (Nations such as Babylon and Egypt will perish, but God’s kingdom will be exalted.)

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will take of the lofty top of the cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it upon a high and lofty mountain: 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 birds of every wing; in the shade of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I, Jehovah, 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, Jehovah, have spoken and have done it."

"This prophecy was fulfilled only in a Messianic sense."J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, p. 503. "We have here a striking prediction of the kingdom of Messiah."Albert Barnes' Commentary, p. 342. May noted that this scripture corresponds, "with the common designation of the Messiah as the Branch."H. G. May in the Interpreter's Bible, p. 152.

There is actually another parable here, using the same figures with different interpretations from the same figures in the first part of the chapter. "The `tender one' taken from the topmost twigs is the Messiah of the house of David (Jeremiah 23:5 f; Jeremiah 33:15)."G. R. Beasley-Murray in the New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 673. Other Biblical examples of kingdoms sheltering beasts and birds are in Ezekiel 31:6; Ezekiel 31:12; Daniel 4:12; Daniel 4:21; and Mark 4:32.

The promise here revealed that God would indeed honor all of the sacred promises to David, but that he would do so with entirely different personnel from that of the apostate Israel as represented by the unfaithful and treacherous Zedekiah.

"All the trees of the field" "These are the rulers of the world and the nations governed by them."F. F. Bruce in the New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 877. The world-wide acceptance of Christ in his Messianic rule is indicated by this, but not in the sense that "the nations" shall be incorporated into God's kingdom.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

In the mountain of the height of Israel - The parallel passage Ezekiel 20:40 points to the mountain on which the temple stood. But it is not here the actual Mount Moriah so much as the kingdom of which that mountain was the representative, the seat of the throne of the anointed Son of God (Psalms 2:6; compare Psalms 40:2).

All fowl of every wing - (or, of every kind) are those who flock from all lands to this kingdom. Compare Matthew 13:32.

The prophet brings prominently forward the future exaltation of the king; and he furnishes us thereby with hope, encouragement, and consolation, at such times as we see the Church of Christ in like depression.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

When God announces that the twig which he will plant shall become a lofty cedar, he shows by lofty words that the increase of Christ’s kingdom shall be so wonderful, that it shall surpass the common rule of nature; which indeed was shadowed forth in the person of Zerubbabel, who was chosen to bring back the people from their sad and disgraceful captivity. (Ezra 2:2; Haggai 1:14.) For it does not naturally happen that a twig increases in a short time to a lofty cedar, for we know how slowly cedars grow, and hence we see the Spirit’s intention in saying that a tree should spring from a very small twig. And this prophecy answers to one of Isaiah’s, where he says, (Isaiah 11:1,) A branch shall spring from the root of Jesse: for the house of Jesse was cut off, and he names the house of an obscure and private man as if the remembrance of David were utterly lost. The house of Jesse then was cut off like a tree: that twig, says he, shall spring from its root. Now the Prophet signifies the same thing, and almost under the same similitude. I leave the rest for the next lecture.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 17

Now in chapter 17 he speaks a parable of a great eagle. And this is where some of these harebrained people begin to spiritualize and try to read the United States into prophecy. Because there is an eagle on the top of the flag and thus, because he uses an eagle in a parable, that must refer to the United States, you know. And they start twisting and spiritualizing to try to make this fit the United States. But, if you'll just read the beginning, there's no way that you can twist it.

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto [who?] the house of Israel ( Ezekiel 17:1-2 );

Not to the United States, but to the house of Israel. But people get all into the spiritualizing of scriptures and they fail to read this part. And they get down into the eagle and snapping the twig from Lebanon and they start making all of these spiritual types of analogies and it just gets off the wall.

And say, thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, long-winged, full of feathers, which had various colors, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar ( Ezekiel 17:3 ):

Now, this greatest eagle is Nebuchadnezzar. The highest branch of the cedar would be the house of David, the king, who was Jehoiakim at this particular time.

And cropped off the top of the young twigs, and carried it to the land of traffic; and set it in the city of merchants ( Ezekiel 17:4 ).

As the king was taken as a captive to Babylon.

He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field ( Ezekiel 17:5 );

That is, he took the son, Zedekiah, and he made him the king, entering into a covenant. Swearing by God you'll be faithful to him and so forth, Zedekiah made a pledge to Nebuchadnezzar to rule the people as a vassal state to Babylon, and he swore by God his allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar. But, of course, he rebelled against it. He did not honor this covenant that he had sworn by the Lord.

So he took also the seed [that is the eagle] of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field [he took Zedekiah]; he placed it by the great waters, and set it up as a willow tree. 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. But there was also another great eagle [Egypt] with great wings [Pharaoh Haaibre with great wings] and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, ( Ezekiel 17:5-7 ),

Zedekiah sent down to Egypt to make an alliance to come up against the Babylonian army.

And 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. 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. Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind touches it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew ( Ezekiel 17:8-10 ).

So this alliance with Egypt will not stand, but the nation will be destroyed. Zedekiah will be destroyed.

And so it goes on to speak of his rebellion.

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Say now to the rebellious house [to Zedekiah], Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and he has taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon; And he hath taken of the king's seed ( Ezekiel 17:11-13 ),

And, of course, he's explaining now this parable, and it's nothing to do with the United States. This is the explanation of this eagle parable. It's the king of Babylon who has come to Jerusalem and taken the king thereof and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon. And he has taken the king's seed, and that is Zedekiah.

made a covenant with him, and has taken an oath of him: he has also taken the mighty of the land. That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by the keeping of his covenant it might stand. But he [Zedekiah] rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar in sending his ambassadors to Egypt [that other eagle], that they might give him horses and many people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that has done such things? and shall he break the covenant, or be delivered? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwells that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die ( Ezekiel 17:13-16 ).

And Zedekiah was indeed brought to Babylon and died there.

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 ( Ezekiel 17:17-18 ),

You know, they shook on it and all.

and hath done all these things, he shall not escape. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely my oath that he has despised and my covenant that he has 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 all of his fugitives with all of his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all the winds: and ye shall know that I am the LORD and I have spoken it. Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar ( Ezekiel 17:18-22 )

And this is a prophecy that goes on now concerning Jesus Christ. As He was the root out of the stem of Jesse, or the rod out of the stem of Jesse. So, again, the highest branch from David, the high cedar.

I will set it; I will crop off the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon [mount Zion] the high mountain and eminent: And in the mountain of the height of Israel [mount Zion] will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all of the fowls of every wing; and the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all of the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, and have exalted the low tree, I have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken it and have done it ( Ezekiel 17:22-24 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The Lord Himself would also snip a tender twig from the top of the tall cedar tree that represented the Davidic line of kings. (The eagle is no longer Nebuchadnezzar but Yahweh in this parable.) Yahweh would plant this twig on a high mountain in Israel so that it would grow there, produce sheltering boughs, and bear fruit. Birds of every kind would come and take refuge in its shady branches. People would dwell securely under the protection of this great kingdom (cf. Hosea 14:5-7; Daniel 4:12; Daniel 4:21; Matthew 13:32; Mark 4:32). [Note: For discussion of the ancient mythological "cosmic tree," of which Ezekiel’s tree is a variation, see Block, The Book . . ., p. 551.]

"Israel will protect surrounding nations rather than being their pawn. . . .

"Ezekiel compared God’s future actions to those of the two eagles (Babylon and Egypt) already mentioned. Neither of those eagles had been able to provide the security and prosperity Israel desperately longed for, but God would succeed where they had failed." [Note: Dyer, "Ezekiel," p. 1259.]

The tender twig seems clearly to be a messianic reference (cf. Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Jeremiah 33:14-16; Zechariah 3:8; Zechariah 6:12-13). The high mountain is probably Mount Zion, the place where Messiah will set up His throne in the Millennium (cf. Psalms 2:6). Then the cedar tree (messianic kingdom) will be very stately and fruitful.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The theological epilogue to the riddle 17:22-24

Like the preceding parable, this one also ends with a promise of hope (cf. Ezekiel 16:60-63).

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it,.... In the highest part of the land of Israel, as Jerusalem is said to be by the Jewish writers; the land of Israel, they say, particularly Kimchi upon the place, was higher than all other lands, and Jerusalem was the highest part of that land; here the Messiah preached and wrought his miracles, even in the mountain of the Lord's house, the temple; and here the first Christian church was planted and established:

and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar; that is, the tender twig or branch cropped off, set and planted as before described: by the "boughs" or "branches" it brings forth may be meant believers, who are as branches in Christ; are of the same nature with him, united to him; have a communication of life and grace from him; are supported and strengthened by him; and so, abiding in him, persevere to the end; see John 15:4; and the same may be said of particular churches; and by "fruit" it is said to bear may be designed the persons of the chosen, redeemed, and called; who are the fruit of Christ's death, and of the ministration of his Gospel, John 12:24; or the blessings of grace which are in him, come from him, and are communicated by him; even fill spiritual blessings, as justification, pardon, adoption, sanctification, and eternal life; in short, both grace and glory; and thus he becomes and appears to be a "goodly cedar", in his person, office, and grace, to his people, to whom he is altogether lovely; being full of grace and truth, Song of Solomon 5:16; and in his kingdom and interest, especially in the latter day, when the kingdoms of this world shall become his:

and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell; by whom are designed converted sinners of all sorts, and of all nations, Jews and Gentiles; compared to birds, because weak, defenceless, and timorous; exposed to danger; and wonderfully delivered; are subject to wander and go astray; and for their chirping and warbling notes: now these may be said to "dwell" under the "shadow" of the "branches" of this "goodly cedar", Christ and his church; that is, under the ministration of the word and ordinances, which is a very delightful and refreshing shadow, a very safe and fruitful one, Song of Solomon 2:3; and here saints choose to dwell, and determine to abide and continue, as it is their interest and happiness so to do; and what a flocking and tabernacling of these birds here will there be in the latter day, where they will chirp and sing in the height of Zion? Isaiah 66:4; compare with this

Matthew 13:32; where our Lord is thought by some to allude to this passage.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      22 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 a high mountain and eminent:   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 goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.   24 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.

      When the royal family of Judah was brought to desolation by the captivity of Jehoiachin and Zedekiah it might be asked, "What has now become of the covenant of royalty made with David, that his children should sit upon his throne for evermore? Do the sure mercies of David prove thus unsure?" To this it is sufficient for the silencing of the objectors to answer that the promise was conditional. If they will keep my covenant, then they shall continue, Psalms 132:12. But David's posterity broke the condition, and so forfeited the promise. But the unbelief of man shall not invalidate the promise of God. He will find out another seed of David in which it shall be accomplished; and that is promised in these verses.

      I. The house of David shall again be magnified, and out of its ashes another phoenix shall arise. The metaphor of a tree, which was made us of in the threatening, is here presented in the promise, Ezekiel 17:22; Ezekiel 17:23. This promise had its accomplishment in part when Zerubbabel, a branch of the house of David, was raised up to head the Jews in their return out of captivity, and to rebuild the city and temple and re-establish their church and state; but it was to have its full accomplishment in the kingdom of the Messiah, who was a root out of a dry ground, and to whom God, according to promise, gave the throne of his father David,Luke 1:32. 1. God himself undertakes the reviving and restoring of the house of David. Nebuchadnezzar was the great eagle that had attempted the re-establishing of the house of David in a dependence upon him, Ezekiel 17:5; Ezekiel 17:5. But the attempt miscarried; his plantation withered and was plucked up. "Well," says God, "the next shall be of my planting: I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar and I will set it." Note, As men have their designs, God also has his designs; but his will prosper when theirs are blasted. Nebuchadnezzar prided himself in setting up kingdoms at his pleasure, Daniel 5:19. But those kingdoms soon had an end, whereas the God of heaven sets up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed,Daniel 2:44. 2. The house of David is revived in a tender one cropped from the top of his young twigs. Zerubbabel was so; that which was hopeful in him was but the day of small things (Zechariah 4:10), yet before him great mountains were made plain. Our Lord Jesus was the highest branch of the high cedar, the furthest of all from the root (for soon after he appeared the house of David was all cut off and extinguished), but the nearest of all to heaven, for his kingdom was not of this world. He was taken from the top of the young twigs, for he is the man, the branch, a tender plant, and a root out of a dry ground (Isaiah 53:2), but a branch of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. 3. This branch is planted in a high mountain (Ezekiel 17:22; Ezekiel 17:22), in the mountain of the height of Israel,Ezekiel 17:23; Ezekiel 17:23. Thither he brought Zerubbabel in triumph; there he raised up his son Jesus, sent him to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel that were scattered upon the mountains, set him his king upon his holy hill of Zion, sent forth the gospel from Mount Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem; there, in the height of Israel, a nation which all its neighbours had an eye upon as conspicuous and illustrious, was the Christian church first planted. The churches of Judea were the most primitive churches. The unbelieving Jews did what they could to prevent its being planted there; but who can pluck up what God will plant? 4. Thence it spreads far and wide. The Jewish state, though it began very low in Zerubbabel's time, was set as a tender branch, which might easily be plucked up, yet took root, spread strangely, and after some time became very considerable; those of other nations, fowl of every wing, put themselves under the protection of it. The Christian church was at first like a grain of mustard-seed, but became, like this tender branch, a great tree, its beginning small, but its latter end increasing to admiration. When the Gentiles flocked into the church then did the fowl of every wing (even the birds of prey, which those preyed upon, as the wolf and the lamb feeding together, Isaiah 11:6) come and dwell under the shadow of this goodly cedar. See Daniel 4:21.

      II. God himself will herein be glorified, Ezekiel 17:24; Ezekiel 17:24. The setting up of the Messiah's kingdom in the world shall discover more clearly than ever to the children of men that God is the King of all the earth,Psalms 47:7. Never was there a more full conviction given of this truth, that all things are governed by an infinitely wise and mighty Providence, than that which was given by the exaltation of Christ and the establishment of his kingdom among men; for by that it appeared that God has all hearts in his hand, and the sovereign disposal of all affairs. All the trees of the field shall know, 1. That the tree which God will have to be brought down, and dried up, shall be so, though it be ever so high and stately, ever so green and flourishing. Neither honour nor wealth, neither external advancements nor internal endowments, will secure men from humbling withering providence. 2. That the tree which God will have to be exalted, and to flourish, shall so be, shall so do, though ever so low, and ever so dry. The house of Nebuchadnezzar, that now makes so great a figure, shall be extirpated, and the house of David, that now makes so mean a figure, shall become famous again; and the Jewish nation, that is now despicable, shall be considerable. The kingdom of Satan, that has borne so long, so large, a sway, shall be broken, and the kingdom of Christ, that was looked upon with contempt, shall be established. The Jews, who, in respect of church-privileges, had been high and green, shall be thrown out, and the Gentiles, who had been low and dry trees, shall be taken in their room, Isaiah 54:1. All the enemies of Christ shall be abased and made his footstool, and his interests shall be confirmed and advanced: I the Lord have spoken (it is the decree, the declared decree, that Christ must be exalted, must be the headstone of the corner), and I have done it, that is, I will do it in due time, but it is as sure to be done as if it were done already. With men saying and doing are two things, but they are not so with God. What he has spoken we may be sure that he will do, nor shall one iota or tittle of his word fall to the ground, for he is not a man, that he should lie, or the son of man, that he should repent either of his threatenings or of his promises.