Ezekiel 17:15-16
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Ezekiel isn't just pointing out Zedekiah's rebellion; he's highlighting the shocking audacity of seeking military aid from Egypt, a nation explicitly forbidden for Israel to rely on. This wasn't just a political misstep, but a deep spiritual betrayal, turning to a foreign power instead of trusting the covenant God had established.
But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he thrive? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape? “As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant with him he broke, in Babylon he shall die.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse comes right after Ezekiel's elaborate allegory of the two eagles and the vine, which symbolized Judah's king, Jehoiachin, and then the new king, Zedekiah, placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah, despite being put in power by the Babylonian king and making a sworn covenant, has now secretly sent envoys to Egypt for military aid, betraying that pact. The prophet immediately questions the wisdom and outcome of such faithlessness, knowing it violates not just a political treaty but a covenant recognized by God.
King Zedekiah looked to Egypt for help, but this was no ordinary alliance. It was a move that sealed his fate.
Seeking Strength in the Wrong Place
Zedekiah's decision to send ambassadors to Egypt for horses and a large army was a critical turning point. Egypt, while powerful, was a symbol of earthly strength and often an enemy to God's people.
Zedekiah swore an oath to Babylon's king, but he broke it. What does the Bible say about such treachery?
A Covenant Is Sacred
In the ancient Near East, a covenant and its accompanying oath were incredibly serious matters. Breaking them was not a minor offense but a profound betrayal with severe consequences.
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Understand the original words
marad · Hebrew Verb
An act of breaking a command, treaty, or allegiance, particularly against God or a legitimate authority. It implies a conscious turning away from a sworn duty or recognized sovereignty.
tsalach · Hebrew Verb
To succeed, prosper, or move forward in a state of well-being. Biblically, true success is often conditional upon righteousness and faithfulness to God's covenants.
shebu'ah · Hebrew Noun
A solemn vow or invocation of a divine witness to the truth of one's statement or the binding nature of a promise, often involving severe consequences for violation.
beriyth · Hebrew Noun
A formal, binding agreement between two parties, often initiated by God with humanity, establishing a relationship governed by specific terms, promises, and obligations.
Adonay Yahweh · Hebrew Noun phrase
The sovereign Ruler of the universe, often used in the context of His authority, holiness, and covenantal relationship with His people.
buz · Hebrew Verb
The act of showing contempt for or treating something holy or binding with disregard; an active rejection of an authority or promise.
Zedekiah's decision to seek military aid from Egypt was a direct violation of his sworn oath to Nebuchadnezzar, betraying not only the Babylonian king but also God's established order and the sanctity of covenants.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation of Judeans
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conducts his first campaign into Judah, deporting some of the royal family and nobility, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation and Installation of Zedekiah
After a brief revolt led by King Jehoiachin, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Jerusalem's elite and installs Zedekiah, Jehoiachin's uncle, as king. Zedekiah swears an oath of fealty to Babylon.
c. 594-593 BC
Zedekiah's Ambivalence and Early Intrigues
During the early years of Zedekiah's reign, Babylonian records suggest diplomatic activity, including potential covert negotiations with Egypt, hinting at growing unrest.
c. 591-589 BC— this verse
Zedekiah Sends Ambassadors to Egypt
King Zedekiah sends envoys to Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt, seeking military support (horses and troops) against Babylonian rule, thereby breaking his sworn covenant with Nebuchadnezzar.
c. 589-588 BC
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
Nebuchadnezzar, angered by Zedekiah's rebellion and alliance with Egypt, lays siege to Jerusalem, cutting off the city and its inhabitants.
c. 587/586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
After a prolonged siege, Babylonian forces breach Jerusalem's walls. Zedekiah is captured, his sons are killed before his eyes, and he is blinded and taken to Babylon.
This passage highlights the severe consequences of breaking a sworn covenant, even one made under deceptive circumstances, mirroring Zedekiah's betrayal and the divine justice that followed.
2 Samuel 21:1-2This account shows how a past covenant violation brought a devastating famine upon Israel centuries later, underscoring God's long memory and seriousness regarding broken oaths, much like in Ezekiel's prophecy.
Jeremiah 37:5-10Jeremiah, prophesying around the same time, also warned against seeking help from Egypt, aligning with Ezekiel's message and showing the consistent divine counsel Zedekiah was ignoring.
Romans 2:2-3This New Testament passage echoes the same principle: God's judgment is sure for those who practice sin and injustice, especially those who, having received God's truth, still act wickedly and think they can escape.
Psalm 89:34This psalm reflects on God's faithfulness to His covenant, emphasizing that though He may punish, He does not utterly break His promises, which stands in stark contrast to human infidelity like Zedekiah's.
cambridgeEzekiel 17:15: "But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?"
15 . Cf. 2 Kings 24:20 . The king of Egypt referred to was Pharaoh Hophra, Jeremiah 44:30 ; Jeremiah 37:5 seq . The indignation of Ezekiel against Zedekiah arises greatly from his regarding the subjection of Jerusalem to Babylon as a thing determined by Jeho…
ellicottEzekiel 17:15: "But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?"
(15) Shall he escape that doeth such things?— The faithlessness of Zedekiah and his court to his own sworn covenant was an act, in addition to all his other wickedness, especially abominable to God. The sanctity of an oath had always been most strongly insis…
Ezekiel isn't just pointing out Zedekiah's rebellion; he's highlighting the shocking audacity of seeking military aid from Egypt, a nation explicitly forbidden for Israel to rely on. This wasn't just a political misstep, but a deep spiritual betrayal, turning to a foreign power instead of trusting the covenant God had established.
This verse comes right after Ezekiel's elaborate allegory of the two eagles and the vine, which symbolized Judah's king, Jehoiachin, and then the new king, Zedekiah, placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah, despite being put in power by the Babylonian king and making a sworn covenant, has now secretly sent envoys to Egypt for military aid, betraying that pact. The prophet immediately questions the wisdom and outcome of such faithlessness, knowing it violates not just a political treaty but a covenant recognized by God.
This verse comes right after Ezekiel's elaborate allegory of the two eagles and the vine, which symbolized Judah's king, Jehoiachin, and then the new king, Zedekiah, placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah, despite being put in power by the Babylonian king and making a sworn covenant, has now secretly sent envoys to Egypt for military aid, betraying that pact. The prophet immediately questions the wisdom and outcome of such faithlessness, knowing it violates not just a political treaty but a covenant recognized by God.
"But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he thrive? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape? “As I live, declares the Lord…" — Ezekiel isn't just pointing out Zedekiah's rebellion; he's highlighting the shocking audacity of seeking military aid from Egypt, a nation explicitly forbidden for Israel to rely on. This wasn't just…
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Last reviewed October 2026
