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. And she
had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her
stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in
her height with the multitude of her branches. But she was plucked
up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried
up her fruit; her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire
consumed them. And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry
and thirsty ground. And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches,
which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be
a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a
lamentation (verses 10-14).
Judah typified by a vine is not a new figure in Ezekiel. See chapters
xv:1-5; xvii:6-10. The statement here reminds us also of Psalm
lxxx:8-11. Many were the blessings Judah enjoyed, like a vine planted by
the waters, fruitful and full of branches. The eleventh verse describes
the period of Judah's greatest prosperity under David and Solomon. Then
the judgment which comes upon the land, the east wind is typical of the
Chaldeans which swept from the East and spoiled the vine. The fire of
divine wrath burned in their midst. Her exilic judgment is pictured in
the next verse: "And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and
thirsty land." And the fire of judgment came out of a rod of her
branches, that is, the judgment came upon them on account of their
wicked Kings. Thus ends the sorrowful lamentation over the princes and
the land of Judah. But there is a better future in store for the land
and the people, a future which can only be realized in Him, who said, "I
am the true vine." Israel still is under the rod, but in God's own time
the curse will give way to the promised blessing, for God's gifts and
calling are without repentance.