Matthew Poole and continuators on Ezekiel 17:9

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.

Tell them what will be the issue of all this, and tell it to them in my name.

This Vine, shall Zedekiah and his People thrive by this? 'tis a question that must be resolved negatively and with vehemency.

Nebuchad[illegible: 2 letters]zzar.

Utterly overthrow this Kingdom which he had set up, destroy the King thereof.

Put to the Sword and slay the Children of Zedekiah and of the Nobles.

Never be in possibility of springing, so much is threatned by the withering of the branches.

All the promising hope they had shall vanish as the hope of a Tree vanisheth, when all its buds and leaves wither in its spring.

The King of Babylon shall do this easily, and never need to imploy all his Power, and People to do this, utterly to root up this Vine.