2Ki 14:9, Eze 17:3-10, Dan 4:10-18 | TSK | STEP | The thistle. The word {choach,} which is rendered here, and in 2 Ch 25:18; Job 31:18, thistle, in 1 Sa 13:6, thicket in Isa 34:13, bramble, and in 2 Ch 33:11; Pr 26:9; So 2:2; Ho 9:6 thorn, is probably the black thorn, or sloe tree, the {prunus spinosa} of Linnæus, as the same word signifies in Arabic. There is a vast deal of insolent dignity in this remonstrance of Jehoash; but it has nothing conciliatory; no proposal of making amends for the injury his army had done to the unoffending inhabitants of Judah. (2 Ch 25:10-13.) The comparatively useless thorn, which may by chance lacerate the incautious passenger, is made the emblem of the house of Judah and David, while the house of Jehu is represented by the stately cedar.

2 Kings 14:9

The thistle.

Jud 9:8-15; 2Sa 12:1-4; 1Ki 4:33; Eze 20:49The word {choach,} which is rendered here, and in 2 Ch 25:18; Job 31:18, thistle, in 1 Sa 13:6, thicket in Isa 34:13, bramble, and in 2 Ch 33:11; Pr 26:9; So 2:2; Ho 9:6 thorn, is probably the black thorn, or sloe tree, the {prunus spinosa} of Linnæus, as the same word signifies in Arabic. There is a vast deal of insolent dignity in this remonstrance of Jehoash; but it has nothing conciliatory; no proposal of making amends for the injury his army had done to the unoffending inhabitants of Judah. (2 Ch 25:10-13.) The comparatively useless thorn, which may by chance lacerate the incautious passenger, is made the emblem of the house of Judah and David, while the house of Jehu is represented by the stately cedar.

Ezekiel 17:3-10

A great.Nebuchadnezzar, so called from his towering ambition and rapaciousness.

7,12-21; De 28:49; Jer 4:13; 48:40; 49:16; La 4:19; Ho 8:1; Mt 24:28

great wings.Extensive empire, both in length and breadth.

Da 2:38; 4:22; 7:4

full.Numerous subjects, of various nations, and of different languages and manners.

divers colours. Heb. embroidering. came.Came against Judah and Jerusalem.

12; 2Ki 24:10-16; 2Ch 36:9,10; Jer 22:23-28; 24:1

the highest.Jeconiah, whom he took captive to Babylon.

the cedar.The royal and ancient family of David.

the top.The princes of Judah.

into.

Isa 43:14; 47:15; Jer 51:13; Re 18:3,11-19

a land. Chaldea. a city.Babylon, which by means of the Euphrates and Tigris, had communications with the richest and most distant nations.

the seed.Zedekiah, brother to Jeconiah.

13; 2Ki 24:17; Jer 37:1

planted it in a fruitful field. Heb. put it in a field ofseed. Made him king of Judea.

De 8:7-9

he placed.Made him dependent on Babylon, the city of great waters, as the willow is on humidity.

19:11,12; Isa 15:7; 44:4

it grew.

14; Pr 16:18,19

whose.The Jewish state had then no height of dominion; and Zedekiah was wholly dependent on Nebuchadnezzar.

another.Pharaoh-hophra, or Apries, king of Egypt.

15; 2Ki 24:20; 2Ch 26:13; Jer 37:5-7

did bend.Looked to him for support, in his intended rebellion.

soil. Heb. field.

5,6

and that.Though he was dependent on Babylon, yet he was in such a situation as would have enabled him to reign in credit, and be useful to his people.

Shall it.Shall he succeed in casting off the yoke of the king of Babylon, to whom he had sworn fealty?

10,15-17; Nu 14:41; 2Ch 13:12; 20:20; Isa 8:9,10; 30:1-7; 31:1-3

Jer 32:5

shall he.He shall come and dethrone him, and carry him captive.

2Ki 25:4-7; Jer 21:4-7; 24:8-10; 29:4-7; 52:7-11

the fruit.The children of Zedekiah.

even.

Jer 37:10

shall it.

19:12-14; Ho 12:1; 13:15; Mt 21:19; Mr 11:20; Joh 15:6; Jude 1:12

Daniel 4:10-18

saw. Chal. was seeing. a tree.This represented his exceedingly prosperous condition, the height of his exaltation, the extent of his dominions and renown, the splendour of his kingdom, the multitude of his subjects who received protection from him, and the peace and plenty they enjoyed.

20-26; Ps 37:35,36; Isa 10:33,34; Jer 12:2; Eze 31:3-18

reached.

21,22; Ge 11:4; De 9:1; Mt 11:23

the beasts.

Jer 27:6,7; Eze 17:23; 31:6

shadow.

La 4:20

the fowls.

Mr 13:32; Lu 13:19

in the.

5,10; 7:1a watcher. Either a holy angel, or a divine person, called a watcher, as watching over the affairs of men.

17,23; Ps 103:20

an holy.

8:13; De 33:2; Ps 89:7; Zec 14:5; Mt 25:31; Mr 1:24; Lu 4:34

Jude 1:14; Re 14:10

aloud. Chal. with might.

3:4; Re 10:3; 18:2

Hew.

23; 5:20; Mt 3:10; 7:19; Lu 3:9; 13:7-9

let.

12; Jer 51:6,9; Eze 31:12,13

leave.

25-27; Job 14:7-9; Eze 29:14,15

Let his.Here a transition is made from the tree to Nebuchadnezzar, whom it represented; the tree being lost sight of, a person came in its stead. This person having lost the heart, or disposition of a man, and conceiving himself a beast, should act as such, and herd among them.

be changed.

32,33; Isa 6:10; Heb 1:11; Mr 5:4,5; Lu 8:27-29

seven times.That is, seven years, a time in the prophetic language denoting a year.

23,25,31; 7:25; 11:13; 12:7; Re 12:14

by the.

13,14; 1Ki 22:19,20; 1Ti 5:21

the holy.

8,9,13; Isa 6:3,8; Re 4:8

that the living.

Ps 9:16; 83:17,18; Eze 25:17

the most High.

25,32-35; 2:21; 5:18-21; Jer 27:5-7