A large eagle... Nabuchodonosor, king of Babylon.-Ibid. Came to Libanus... That is, to Jerusalem.-Ibid. Took away the marrow of the cedar... King Jechonias.
17:4. He cropped off the top of the twigs thereof: and carried it away into the land of Chanaan, and he set it in a city of merchants.
Chanaan... This name, which signifies traffic, is not taken here for Palestine, but for Chaldea: and the city of merchants here mentioned is Babylon.
17:5. And he took of the seed of the land, and put it in the ground for seed, that it might take a firm root over many waters: he planted it on the surface of the earth.
Of the seed of the land, etc... Viz., Sedecias, whom he made king.
17:6. And it sprung up and grew into a spreading vine of low stature, and the branches thereof looked towards him: and the roots thereof were under him. So it became a vine, and grew into branches, and shot forth sprigs.
Towards him... Nabuchodonosor, to whom Sedecias swore allegiance.
17:7. And there was another large eagle, with great wings, and many feathers: and behold this vine, bending as it were her roots towards him, stretched forth her branches to him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.
Another large eagle... Viz., the king of Egypt.
17:8. It was planted in a good ground upon many waters, that it might bring forth branches, and bear fruit, that it might become a large vine.