John Calvin on Ezekiel 17:8

He exaggerates the ingratitude of Zedekiah, because, as we have said, he had been treated humanely by the king of Babylon; for he had been but a private man till that time: he was elevated to a throne and to a sway over the people beyond his expectation, and he had an avenger if any one despised him. For when he was tributary to the king of Babylon, he would doubtless have been assisted by him in adversity: hence his revolt was less excusable, since he had been treated liberally beyond all anticipation. For this reason it is said, the vine was planted in a good soil, and near many waters, that it might put forth branches and bear fruit, so that it might be a goodly vine. It follows —

Ezekiel 17:9-10

9. 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.

9. Dic, Sic dicit Dominator Iehovah, An feliciter aget? Or, as they commonly say, “shall it prosper?” — Calvin. an non radices ejus evellet? et fructum ejus succidet? et siccabit omnes surculos germinis ipsius, ut arefiat Or, “grow dry.” — Calvin et non brachio magno et populo multo ad tollendum It is a noun put in the place of an infinitive, “for taking it away,” or” for its being taken away.” — Calvin. e radicibus suis.

10. Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.

10. Et ecce plantata: an prosperabitur? That is, “shall it do prosperously or happily?” or, “shall it have good success?” for prosperari is not a sufficiently classical word, unless derived from prosperare, used by Horace, and so is passive. — Calvin. an non cum attigerit Or, “shall have struck or touched,” for it signifies either. — Calvin. ipsam ventus orientalis arescendo arescet super areas Or, “furrows.” — Calvin. plantationis suae scet?