Ezekiel 17:3

"“Son of man, tell a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;"

Key Reflection

Ezekiel 17:3 sets the stage for a prophetic riddle and parable directed at the people of Israel. In ancient Near Eastern culture, riddles and parables were common forms of communication used to convey complex messages in an engaging way. By framing his words as a riddle and parable, Ezekiel is preparing his audience for deeper theological insights, ensuring that their attention remains focused on the weighty matters he intends to communicate about the nation's future.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

A great eagle ... -Probably the golden eagle, whose plumage has the variety of color here depicted. The eagle (the king of birds) is a natural representative of monarchs (compare,Jeremiah 48:40), and was an Assyrian emblem. With great wings, Iongwinged -literally, “great of wing, long of pinion,” because he has swept victoriously over widely distant lands - of divers colors, because his subjects are of various races and tongues. Jerusalem is here called “Lebanon” because Lebanon is the proper home of the cedar.

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