Bible Strands
Ezekiel 17:15
But this king rebelled against Babylon by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Ezekiel pronounces God’s judgment to the exiled Judahite leadership concerning King Zedekiah’s diplomatic maneuvering. The oracle confronts the king’s betrayal of his oath to Babylon while the nation faces collapse.
The words — The text highlights וַ/יִּמְרָד (va/i.yim.rod), literally “and he rebelled,” marking the king’s active defiance. It also uses לִ/שְלֹ֤חַ (li/sh.Lo.ach), meaning “by sending,” which specifies the diplomatic action that triggered the covenant breach.
The thread — This defiance mirrors the prohibition in Deuteronomy 17:16 against kings acquiring horses or sending people to Egypt for military strength. The historical accounts in 2 Kings 24:20 and 2 Chronicles 36:13 record the same rebellion and the subsequent divine judgment.
Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to acknowledge that political alliances formed against God’s sovereign decree cannot nullify covenant obligations. It demands recognition that breaking sworn commitments invites inevitable consequences rather than deliverance.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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?
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 17:16 But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’
- 2 Kings 24:20 For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon.
- 2 Chronicles 36:13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.
- Jeremiah 34:3 And you yourself will not escape his grasp, but will surely be captured and delivered into his hand. You will see the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak with him face to face; and you will go to Babylon.
- Jeremiah 38:18 But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape their grasp.’”
- Jeremiah 52:3 For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon.
- Ezekiel 17:7 But there was another great eagle with great wings and many feathers. And behold, this vine bent its roots toward him. It stretched out its branches to him from its planting bed, so that he might water it.
- Jeremiah 37:5 Pharaoh’s army had left Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 38:23 All your wives and children will be brought out to the Chaldeans. And you yourself will not escape their grasp, for you will be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned down.”
- Ezekiel 17:9 So you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Will it flourish? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it shrivels? All its foliage will wither! It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by its roots.