Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 17:17
Neither shall Pharaoh with [his] mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:
17. The aid of Pharaoh shall be in vain; cf. Jer 37:5, and the pathetic references to the hopes and disappointments of the besieged during the last days of Jerusalem in Lam 4:17.
On “mounts,” &c., cf. ch. Eze 4:2.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
To cast up mounts and build forts – was the business not of the relieving but of the besieging army. Translate it: when men cast up mounts and build forts to destroy many persons.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Let his army be made up of ever so many well-disciplined soldiers, if as many as the Egyptian can vainly promise, or the Jews more vainly hope. Great company possibly may refer to the multitudes which usually attended the march of armies, or else it is a doubling the thing in doubled words.
Make for him: if Zedekiah be the person, as our version carrieth it, it foretells the unprofitableness of the Egyptian army, that shall not do him any kindness. If Nebuchadnezzar be intended, as the version which renders the Hebrew particle against, then it foretells the little hurt that the Egyptians shall do to Nebuchadnezzar.
By casting up mounts; when Nebuchadnezzar shall with so much speed and skill east up forts and build mounts, wooden castles, to annoy Jerusalem, secure his own forces, and terrify the Egyptian king from the difficulty of raising the siege, which could not be done without expense of much blood.
To cut off many persons, of the besieged in Jerusalem, and of the Egyptians, if they attempt to raise the siege; this sense it bears in the French version.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. PharaohPharaoh-hophra(Jer 37:7; Jer 44:30),the successor of Necho (2Ki23:29).
Neither . . . make forhimliterally, “effect (anything) with him,”that is, be of any avail to Zedekiah. Pharaoh did not act inconcert with him, for he was himself compelled to retire toEgypt.
by casting up mounts,&c.So far from Pharaoh doing so for Jerusalem, this was whatNebuchadnezzar did against it (Jer52:4). CALVIN MAURER,&c., refer it to Nebuchadnezzar, “when Nebuchadnezzarshall cast up mounts.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Neither shall Pharaoh, with [his] mighty army and great company, make for him in the war,…. The king of Egypt, to whom Zedekiah applied for horses and men to help him; though he should come with a great army, and a large multitude of people, yet should be of no use to Zedekiah, nor do any hurt to Nebuchadnezzar, or hinder him from taking Jerusalem:
by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons; that is, when Nebuchadnezzar should besiege Jerusalem, and raise mounts, and build fortifications, in order to take the city, and destroy its inhabitants; as he did, Jer 52:4; the Egyptian army should not be able to hinder him going on with the siege, and taking the city; for though the siege was broke up for a time, upon the approach of Pharaoh’s army, yet Nebuchadnezzar, having conquered the Egyptians, returned again to the siege of Jerusalem, and took it; see Jer 37:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
As Ezekiel has before pronounced that there was no need of great forces when God wished to punish Zedekiah by means of the king of Babylon; so he now teaches, on the other hand, how great and powerful an army Pharaoh would collect, and yet it would profit nothing, since Nebuchadnezzar would be victorious. Some interpreters explain the passage otherwise, namely, that Pharaoh would not perform his promise; for kings are accustomed to boast of their supplies when they enter into treaties: they promise 50,000, but only supply 10,000. They think, therefore, that these vain promises by which Zedekiah was deceived are here reproved, since Pharaoh boasted that he would come with very great forces, so as easily to repel the Babylonian army. But the sense which I propose is far more suitable, namely, that whatever Pharaoh should attempt, it would fail to assist him. Although he should come well attended, and oppose the Chaldaeans by immense forces, yet he should effect nothing in battle with him: although this may be true equally of Zedekiah as of the king of Babylon. For Pharaoh did nothing with King Nebuchadnezzar, since he was quickly compelled to retreat into his own territories, and could scarcely defend his own kingdom, for he did not succeed against Nebuchadnezzar: and he did Zedekiah no good, since he did not assist him in his misfortunes, as he had promised. But as far as concerns the general sense, we see that the Prophet means that Zedekiah would be deceived although Pharaoh should faithfully perform his promises, since he was undertaking an expedition against the will of God, which must turn out disastrous. He adds, when he shall throw up a mound and build a tower, (towers are meant, for there is a change of number,) as is customary in besieging cities. This thought to be referred to Nebuchadnezzar, for he began to cast up mounds and build towers against Jerusalem when Pharaoh led away his army. Since Nebuchadnezzar could not contend with both the Egyptians and Jews together, he raised the siege and set out to meet Pharaoh, who, when conquered, retreated with trembling within his own boundaries. Nebuchadnezzar afterwards returned, and after preparing all things, he did not desist till he had stormed the city. Now Ezekiel means this, that Pharaoh would come to his help in vain, when Nebuchadnezzar began to cast up his mounds and build towers against the city. It follows —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) By casting up mounts.This translation implies that the casting up mounts and building forts were to be the act of Pharaoh; but such things are done not by the relieving, but by the besieging army. A better translation would be, when they cast up mounts, &c.i.e., at the time of the siege. We learn from Jer. 44:30 that the particular Pharaoh here referred to was Hophra, the Apries of the Greeks. In Jer. 37:5-11, it is said that an Egyptian army did come up and temporarily raise the siege of Jerusalem; but it was of no avail. Pharaoh did him no gooddid not make for him in the war. The Chaldans speedily returned, drove away the Egyptians, and renewed the siege, finally capturing and burning the city.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Make for him Old English for help him. Egypt’s assistance shall be in vain. (See Jer 37:5; Lam 4:17.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Neither will Pharaoh and his mighty army and great company perform for him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build siege-walls to cut off many persons.”
God’s verdict on the Pharaoh and Egypt is that is that they will not be able to perform what they have promised when Jerusalem is besieged, and its inhabitants cut off by mounds and siege walls.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 17:17. Make for him, &c. Support him in the war, when they, that is to say, the Chaldeans, cast up mounts, and build forts, &c. Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 17:17 Neither shall Pharaoh with [his] mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:
Ver. 17. Neither shall Pharaoh. ] God will cause the strongest sinew in the arm of flesh to crack. See Psa 33:10-11 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
company = gathered force.
make for him = help him
persons = souls. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eze 17:17-21
Eze 17:17-21
“Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts, to cut off many persons. For he hath despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and, behold, he hath given his hand, and yet hath done all these things; he shall not escape. Therefore, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, I will even bring it upon his own head. And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will enter into judgment with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me. And all his fugitives in all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward every wind: and ye shall know that I, Jehovah, have spoken it.”
“Mine oath he hath despised … and my covenant he hath broken …” (Eze 17:19). Here is the declaration that it was not merely his oath and covenant with the king of Babylon that Zedekiah had violated and despised, it was the oath and covenant of Jehovah himself. How was this?
“The indignant passion that breathes through this oracle is aroused by the fact that Zedekiah’s perfidy toward Nebuchadnezzar was in reality perfidy toward Yahweh himself, whose name he had solemnly invoked when had taken the oath of allegiance to the king of Babylon.
This certainly constituted the ultimate aggravation of Zedekiah’s shameful guilt. “When Nebuchadnezzar formed that vassal treaty with Zedekiah, he was required to swear loyalty to him in the name of Jehovah. The oath may have been confirmed by the change of names from Mattaniah to Zedekiah (2Ki 24:17). Mattaniah means `gift of God’; “and Zedekiah means `righteousness of Jehovah.’
Up to this point in this chapter, the message has been simple and clear enough. God will indeed punish the treacherous Zedekiah, along with his evil advisers and the rebellious city; but the final three verses speak of something glorious yet in store for Israel.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
shall: Eze 29:6, Eze 29:7, Isa 36:6, Jer 37:7, Lam 4:17
by: Eze 4:2, Jer 33:5, Jer 52:4
Reciprocal: Deu 20:20 – thou shalt build 2Ki 18:24 – thy trust Dan 11:15 – cast up Dan 11:17 – upright ones
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 17:17. It was predicted that the attempted alliance with Egypt would prove disappointing. When God decrees that his people are to receive some chastisement for their unfaithfulness, it is useless for them to think they can avoid it by calling for help from others, for numbers and other might count nothing against Him.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Pharaoh would not come to Zedekiah’s aid when Nebuchadnezzar invaded and besieged Jerusalem and slew many of the people. There was no way that Zedekiah could escape Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath since he had broken the covenant in which he had pledged his allegiance to the Babylonian king.