Ezekiel 19:10

Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) A vine in thy blood.—The figure here changes to the more common one of a vine, yet by no means the “vine of low stature” of Ezekiel 17:6; it is rather a strong and goodly vine. The phrase “in thy blood” is obscure, and has occasioned much perplexity to the commentators. Some of the ancient versions and some manuscripts have modified the text; but the meaning seems to be, if the text is taken as it stands, “Thy mother is like a vine living in the blood (i.e., in the life) of her children.” This would then be a statement amplified in the following, “fruitful and full of branches.” The general sense is plain: Israel is described as having been planted a strong and fruitful vine, with every advantage for growth and full development.

Benson Commentary

Ezekiel 19:10-14. Thy mother is like a vine — Here another similitude is made use of, and the Jewish nation is compared, as it frequently is in other places, to a vine. In thy blood — So the Hebrew and Vulgate; but the LXX. read, ως ανθος εν ροα, as a flower on a pomegranate-tree; and Bishop Newcome, who supposes the LXX. to have read כרמן, and not בדמךְ, renders the clause, like a pomegranate, planted by the waters, &c. — “The Jewish nation, whence the royal family had their original, was like a fruitful vine in a very flourishing condition.” And she had strong rods, &c. — From her sprung valiant princes, fit to sway the sceptre. A rod or sceptre is an emblem of authority. Her stature was exalted among the thick branches — Among the neighbouring kings and princes: see 2 Chronicles 32:23. The increase of the nation’s power is expressed by this. But she was plucked up in fury — God, in his anger, removed her out of her own land. She was cast down to the ground — She was reduced to a contemptible state. The east wind dried up her fruit — The Chaldean forces ravaged and depopulated the country; her strong rods were broken — Her kings and princes were subdued, and made captives. The fire consumed them — The divine anger brought them to destruction, as fire consumes the branches of a tree when it is withered. And now she is planted in the wilderness — A great part of her people are carried captive, where their condition is as much different from what it was formerly, as the condition of a tree is when it is removed out of a rich soil into a dry and barren ground. The Jews suffered several captivities before that final one which ended in the destruction of their temple and government. And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches — This is spoken of Zedekiah’s breaking his oath of fidelity to the king of Babylon, which was the occasion of the destruction of the royal family, and the entire ruin of the government. This is a lamentation, &c. — This is matter of present lamentation, and shall be so to after ages.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

19:10-14 Jerusalem was a vine, flourishing and fruitful. This vine is now destroyed, though not plucked up by the roots. She has by wickedness made herself like tinder to the sparks of God's wrath, so that her own branches serve as fuel to burn her. Blessed be God, one Branch of the vine here alluded to, is not only become a strong rod for the sceptre of those that rule, but is Himself the true and living Vine. This shall be for a rejoicing to all the chosen people of God throughout all generations.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thy mother - Judah or Jerusalem. Jehoiachin is still addressed.

In thy blood - Blood is equivalent to "life" Genesis 9:4. The clause is equivalent to "Thy mother is a vine, living in thy blood," i. e., in the life of thee and of thy children. The excellency of a vine is in her fruitful branches; the glory of a mother in her noble children. Jeremiah was to write Jehoiachin childless (see the note at Jeremiah 22:30); Ezekiel here takes a general view of the king and princes of the blood royal.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

10. A new metaphor taken from the vine, the chief of the fruit-bearing trees, as the lion is of the beasts of prey (see Eze 17:6).

in thy blood—"planted when thou wast in thy blood," that is, in thy very infancy; as in Eze 16:6, when thou hadst just come from the womb, and hadst not yet the blood washed from thee. The Jews from the first were planted in Canaan to take root there [Calvin]. Grotius translates as the Margin, "in thy quietness," that is, in the period when Judah had not yet fallen into her present troubles. English Version is better. Glassius explains it well, retaining the metaphor, which Calvin's explanation breaks, "in the blood of thy grapes," that is, in her full strength, as the red wine is the strength of the grape. Ge 49:11 is evidently alluded to.

many waters—the well-watered land of Canaan (De 8:7-9).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The 10th verse begins the second part of the chapter.

Thy mother, O thou prince of Israel: see Ezekiel 19:2.

Is like a vine; frequently so compared, Psalm 80:8,14,15 Isa 3:14 5:2 27:2.

In thy blood; either when thou wast first born, as Ezekiel 16:6; or, the royal line, thy kingly race; or, in the rigour of thy strength.

Planted by the waters, in a very fruitful soil.

She was fruitful, and accordingly she did thrive, and brought forth much fruit: see Ezekiel 17:8. Though she lost many thousands carried away, yet more were born, bred up, and trained up to useful arts and employments, say some; but this too general. The royal family did spring like a vine well watered.

Full of branches; full of children; when Josiah died he left four behind him, beside other branches of the royal line.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood,.... Another simile is here made use of, relating to the same persons; the same that were compared to a lioness are here compared to a vine, as the people of the Jews frequently are, Psalm 80:8; the same person is here addressed, the then reigning prince, Zedekiah, whose mother, the Jewish people, from whence he sprung, had been in times past, and still was, like a vine; and especially with respect to his blood, the royal family from, chore he descended: the allusion is to the use of blood laid to the roots of vines, by which they became more fruitful. It may have regard; as Calvin thinks, to the original of the Jewish nation, who, when in their blood, or as soon as they were born, that is, as soon as they became a nation, were at first like a flourishing vine. Some render the words, "in thy likeness"; so Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech; to which the Targum agrees,

"the congregation of Israel, when it did according to the law, was like to a vine, &c.''

planted by the waters; for in those hot countries vines required water, and thrived the better for bring near to them, or for being in watery places; this may denote the many privileges, blessings, laws, and ordinances, which were for the advantage of the Jewish people; both in their civil and ecclesiastical state:

she was fruitful and full of branches, by reason of many waters; grew populous, rich, and wealthy.

Geneva Study Bible

Thy {g} mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.

(g) He speaks this in the reproach of this wicked king, in whose blood, that is in the race of his predecessors, Jerusalem would have been blessed according to God's promise and flourished as a fruitful vine.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10. is like a vine] was like, in contrast to “but now she is planted in the wilderness” (Ezekiel 19:13). The “prince” of Israel is addressed, not any individual prince, but the kingship or royalty by whomsoever represented. The mother, as before, is the people or nationality of Israel.

in thy blood] R.V. marg. refers to ch. Ezekiel 16:6, not wisely. LXX. read “on a pomegranate” (brmn for bdmk). Ew. suggests: “a vine of Carmel,” Ges. “a vine of thy vineyard;” Corn. as usual “zu streichen.” Others: “in thy likeness” “in thy thought,” “in thy rest”—all without sense. More tolerable: “in her height” (rumah), Ezekiel 19:11.

10–14. The fate of Zedekiah and his country, on which he has brought ruin

Israel was once a spreading vine by great waters; her branches rose into the clouds, and her rods were rulers’ sceptres—a powerful race of kings rose out of her. Now she is torn up and thrown down, carried into the wilderness, and planted in a dry and barren soil. A fire also has gone out from one of her strong rods which has consumed her. Her last prince, Zedekiah, has finally broken the state to pieces (cf. ch. 17).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 10. - Another parable comes close upon the heels of the first. Thy mother; sc. Judah or Jerusalem, as the mother of Jehoiachin, who is still in Ezekiel's thoughts, and is addressed by him. In thy blood. (For the comparison of the vine, see Ezekiel 17:6.) No satisfactory meaning can be got out of the words, the nearest being "in thy life, thy freshness," the sap of the vine being thought of as its blood; and critics have been driven to conjectural readings or renderings. The Jewish interpreters, Targum, Rashi, Kimchi, and margin of Revised Version, give, "in thy likeness," sc. "like thee;" Keil, "in thy repose," sc. in the period of quiet prosperity. Hitzig boldly adopts a reading which gives, "a vine climbing on the pomegranate;" but (?). The many waters reproduce the imagery of Ezekiel 17:5. Ezekiel 19:10

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Destruction of the Kingdom, and Banishment of the People

Ezekiel 19:10. Thy mother was like a vine, planted by the water in thy repose; it became a fruitful and rich in tendrils from many waters. Ezekiel 19:11. And it had strong shoots for rulers' sceptres; and its growth ascended among the clouds, and was visible in its height in the multitude of its branches. Ezekiel 19:12. Then it was torn up in fury, cast to the ground, and the east wind dried up its fruit; its strong shoots were broken off, and withered; fire devoured them. Ezekiel 19:13. And now it is planted in the desert, in a dry and thirsty land. Ezekiel 19:14. There goeth out fire from the shoot of its branches, devoureth its fruit, so that there is no more a strong shoot upon it, a sceptre for ruling. - A lamentation it is, and it will be for lamentation. - From the lamentable fate of the princes transported to Egypt and Babylon, the ode passes to a description of the fate, which the lion-like rapacity of the princes is preparing for the kingdom and people. Israel resembled a vine planted by the water. The difficult word בּדמך we agree with Hvernick and Kliefoth in tracing to the verb דּמה, to rest (Jeremiah 14:17), and regard it as synonymous with בּדמי in Isaiah 38:10 : "in thy repose," i.e., in the time of peaceful, undisturbed prosperity. For neither of the other renderings, "in thy blood" and "in thy likeness," yields a suitable meaning. The latter explanation, which originated with Raschi and Kimchi, is precluded by the fact that Ezekiel always uses the word דּמוּת to express the idea of resemblance. - For the figure of the vine, compare Psalm 80:9. This vine sent out strong shoots for rulers' sceptres; that is to say, it brought forth powerful kings, and grew up to a great height, even into the clouds. עבתים signifies "cloud," lit., thicket of clouds, not only here, but in Ezekiel 31:3, Ezekiel 31:10,Ezekiel 31:14. The rendering "branches" or "thicket of foliage" is not suitable in any of these passages. The form of the word is not to be taken as that of a new plural of עבות, the plural of עב, which occurs in 2 Samuel 23:4 and Psalm 77:18; but is the plural of עבות, an interlacing or thicket of foliage, and is simply transferred to the interlacing or piling up of the clouds. The clause 'ויּרא וגו, and it appeared, was seen, or became visible, simply serves to depict still further the glorious and vigorous growth, and needs no such alteration as Hitzig proposes. This picture is followed in Ezekiel 19:12., without any particle of transition, by a description of the destruction of this vine. It was torn up in fury by the wrath of God, cast down to the ground, so that its fruit withered (compare the similar figures in Ezekiel 17:10). מטּה עזּהּ is used collectively, as equivalent to מטּות עז (Ezekiel 19:11); and the suffix in אכלתהוּ is written in the singular on account of this collective use of מטּה. The uprooting ends in the transplanting of the vine into a waste, dry, unwatered land, - in other words, in the transplanting of the people, Israel, into exile. The dry land is Babylon, so described as being a barren soil in which the kingdom of God could not flourish. According to Ezekiel 19:14, this catastrophe is occasioned by the princes. The fire, which devours the fruit of the vine so that it cannot send out any more branches, emanates ממּטּה בדּיה, from the shoot of its branches, i.e., from its branches, which are so prolific in shoots. מטּה is the shoot which grew into rulers' sceptres, i.e., the royal family of the nation. The reference is to Zedekiah, whose treacherous breach of covenant (Ezekiel 17:15) led to the overthrow of the kingdom and of the earthly monarchy. The picture from Ezekiel 19:12 onwards is prophetic. The tearing up of the vine, and its transplantation into a dry land, had already commenced with the carrying away of Jeconiah; but it was not completed till the destruction of Jerusalem and the carrying away of Zedekiah, which were still in the future at the time when these words were uttered. - The clause 'קינה היא does not contain a concluding historical notice, as Hהvernick supposes, but simply the finale of the lamentation, indicating the credibility of the prediction which it contains. ותּהי is prophetic, like the perfects from ותּתּשׁ in Ezekiel 19:12 onwards; and the meaning is this: A lamentation forms the substance of the whole chapter; and it will lead to lamentation, when it is fulfilled.