Ezekiel 17:11

• The first eagle represents Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. The cedar sprig represents Jehoiachin, whom Nebuchadnezzar took away to Babylon. The plant that later grew into a low vine represents Zedekiah. The second eagle represents Egypt. Zedekiah asked Egypt for help because he wanted to break free from Babylon’s rule.

  The hot east wind represents judgment from Babylon. This wind pulled up and dried out Jerusalem. In other words, Babylon destroyed the city as an act of judgment.

• The picture of the eagle caring for the vine may describe God’s care for Israel more than Nebuchadnezzar’s concern for Zedekiah. This comparison shows an important lesson. Zedekiah rebelled against his overlord (the king who ruled over him), Nebuchadnezzar. In a similar way, Israel rebelled against the Lord.

  Zedekiah’s rebellion against Babylon was extremely foolish. It led to destruction and death. Israel’s rebellion against the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, was even more foolish.

This chapter includes a riddle. A riddle is a type of metaphorical speech (language that uses pictures and comparisons). It both hides and shows the meaning at the same time.

The chapter is also a fable. A fable is a story that teaches a moral lesson. It often tells the lesson through plants or animals instead of people.

This creative setting creates distance between the story and real life. That distance helps the listener receive the message. It lowers resistance to a message that may be hard or unpleasant to hear.

This section includes eight metaphors, each showing from a different angle the certainty of Jerusalem's upcoming judgment. The images are of:

1. a worthless vine (Ezekiel 15);

2. a faithless wife (Ezekiel 16);

3. a vine and two eagles (Ezekiel 17);

4. Sour grapes (Ezekiel 18);

5. a lion and her cubs (Ezekiel 19);

6. a sword (Ezekiel 21);

7. two corrupt sisters (Ezekiel 23); and

8. a cooking pot (Ezekiel 24).