Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 17:18
Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these [things], he shall not escape.
Verse 18. Seeing he despised the oath] This God particularly resents. He had bound himself by oath, in the presence of Jehovah, to be faithful to the covenant that he made with Nebuchadnezzar, and he took the first opportunity to break it; therefore he shall not escape.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This verse gives us the reason of this unhappy enterprise, which is summed up in wilful, presumptuous, and most unparalleled perjury. Zedekiah
had given his hand; a solemn confirming of the oath, or covenant, and it implies the voluntary act of Zedekiah in swearing, which makes the perjury so much the fouler.
All these things; too bad to be named, and most unbecoming any one that was a beneficiary, and had so much from the bounty of one that was not obliged to do any thing for him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. given his handinratification of the oath (2Ki 10:15;Ezr 10:19), and also in token ofsubjection to Nebuchadnezzar (1Ch29:24, Margin; 2Ch 30:8,Margin; La 5:6).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Seeing he despised the oath, by breaking the covenant,…. This is repeated again, to show the heinousness of the sin Zedekiah had been guilty of, and what was the cause of his ruin:
when, lo, he had given his hand; to the king of Babylon, to testify his hearty agreement with him, and that he might depend upon the oath and covenant being sacredly observed by him. This was a rite for custom frequently and early used in different nations, when covenants and agreements were entered into; we find it used in the times of Homer z; and among the Romans. When Antoninus, Lepidus, and Octavius made peace, the historian says a, they joined their hands together. Virgil b speaks of the same ceremony used by Anchises to Achaemenides, for confirmation of friendship. Though some understand this of his giving the hand to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and entering into an alliance with him, and broke the covenant and oath made to the king of Babylon; and so the Targum,
“and, lo, he stretched out his hand to Pharaoh:”
and hath done all these [things]; been guilty of such and so many crimes, as ingratitude, perjury, covenant breaking, and vain confidence:
he shall not escape; divine vengeance, just and proper punishment for his sins.
z ‘ , Iliad. 6. a Florus, Hist. Rom. Gest. l. 4. c. 5. b “Ipse pater dextram Anchises, haud malta moratur, Dat juveni atque animum praesenti pignore firmat”. Aeneid. l. 3. prope finem.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Ezekiel repeals again, that, even speaking, Zedekiah could not succeed, since he violated the treaty for we yesterday said that this persuasion is always fixed in men’s minds, that treaties are sacred, and cannot be broken with impunity. Since, therefore, the sacredness of treaties was always prevalent among men, Ezekiel here pronounces that the issue would be disastrous, because Zedekiah despised his oath when he broke the treaty after stretching out his hand. He describes a gesture, as I think, customary among men — that of stretching forth the hand when they wish to witness a covenant. The alliance, then, between the Egyptians and the Jews is here described by an outward gesture, because Zedekiah stretched forth his hand, and yet had violated it in this way: but since he perfidiously revolted from King Nebuchadnezzar, to whom he had pledged his faith, he has done all this, says he, therefore he shall not be liberated. It follows —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
“For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he has given his hand, and yet has he done all these things. He will not escape.”
The solemn nature of Zedekiah’s vows is brought out, made ‘an oath’ and ‘a treaty’ and ‘gave his hand’, all signs of fealty. There would seem to be implied that he did this willingly, probably to obtain the kingship. Such oaths and treaties were strange things, they were seen as sacredly binding, and yet it was generally recognised that an oath made under duress was only binding until you became strong enough to break it. Indeed had Jerusalem surrendered when Nebuchadnezzar approached Zedekiah might well have retained the kingship (Jer 38:17-18). But the point was that such oaths and treaties justified strong reprisals.
‘He will not escape.’ He was doomed.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 17:18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these [things], he shall not escape.
Ver. 18. Seeing he despised the oath. ] Despised it ex fastu quodam, out of pride and disdain, as the word signifieth, as Pascenius the Papist jeereth at King James for inventing the oath of allegiance. There is in our chronicles a memorable story of one Sir Ralph Percy, slain upon Hegely Moor, in Northumberland, by the Lord Mountacute, general for Edward IV He would in no way depart the field, though defeated; but, in dying, said, I have saved the bird in my breast, meaning his oath to King Henry VI a Had false Zedekiah done so, he had, for this once at least, escaped; but ambition – whose motto is said to be Sic mea fata sequor So I follow my destiny – was his ruin.
a Speed.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
lo. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
given his hand. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6, for making a covenant (2Ki 10:13. Ezr 10:19. Jer 50:15).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Seeing: Though Zedekiah’s oath had been given to a heathen, a conqueror, and a tyrant, yet God considered the violation of it a most aggravated sin against Him, and determined to punish him for it.
he: 1Ch 29:24, 2Ch 30:8, *marg. Lam 5:6
he shall: Eze 17:15
Reciprocal: Lev 5:4 – to do evil Jos 6:22 – as ye sware unto her 1Ki 2:43 – Why 2Ki 10:15 – give me 2Ch 16:3 – break Ecc 9:2 – feareth Jer 25:35 – the shepherds Jer 34:3 – and thine Jer 50:15 – she hath Lam 2:6 – the king Lam 4:20 – was taken Eze 14:10 – they shall Eze 17:16 – whose oath Eze 19:14 – fire Dan 11:7 – and shall prevail Rom 2:3 – that thou shalt Heb 2:3 – How
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 17:18. Zedekiah had made an agreement with the king of Babylon to serve him while remaining on the throne in Jerusalem. He broke that convenant by calling on Egypt for help, and such an act was against the will of God. for it was the divine wili that Babylon be given possession of Jerusalem and her people.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
17:18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given {m} his hand, and hath done all these [things], he shall not escape.
(m) Because he took the name of God in vain, and broke his oath which he had confirmed by giving his hand: therefore the prophet declares that God would not permit such perjury and infidelity to escape punishment.