Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezekiel 17:2

"Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;" — Ezekiel 17:2 (ASV)

A riddle ... a parable. —What the prophet has to say is called a riddle as well as a parable, because there is something in it profound and obscure—something which, until it is explained, should excite the minds of the people to guess its meaning.