He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed [it] by great waters, [and] set it [as] a willow tree.
Ver. 5. He took also of the seed of the land.] No foreigner, but one of their own country, and of the blood royal too - viz., Zedekiah. This was a great mercy; as that most spitefully done of Attilus, king of Suecia, to make a dog king of the Danes; as did likewise Gunno, king of the Danes, make a dog king of Norway, appointing counsellors to do all things under his title and name.
And planted it in a fruitful field,] i.e., In Judea, that good land - as Rabahakeh also yieldeth it to have been, whatever Strabo saith to the contrary - where Zedekiah might have lived bravely and reigned prosperously, could he but have been content with his condition:
“ At Paris ut vivat regnetque beatus,
Cogi posse negat. ” - Horat., Epist. ii.
He placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.] A well contented person grows up prosperously, as the willows by the water courses.