Ezekiel 17:14

14 that it be a meek realm, and be not raised [up], but that it keep the covenant of him, and hold it. (so that it be a humble kingdom, and not be raised up, but that it keep his covenant, and hold it firm.)

Ezekiel 17:14 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 17:14

That the kingdom might be base
Low or humble; its king but a viceroy, a tributary to the king of Babylon; and the subjects obliged to a tax, payable to him; and this is intended by the vine being of "low stature", ( Ezekiel 17:6 ) ; that it might not lift up itself;
above other neighbouring kingdoms and states; and particularly that it might not rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, but be kept in a dependence on him, and subjection to him: [but] that by keeping of his covenant it might stand;
continue a kingdom, and Zedekiah king of it; so that it was for their good that such a covenant was made, and it was their interest to keep it; for, had it not been made, it would have ceased to have been a kingdom, and would have become a province of the Babylonian monarchy, and have been put under the government of one of Nebuchadnezzar's princes or captains; and, should they break it, would endanger the ruin of their state, as the event showed. In the Hebrew text it is, "to keep his covenant, to make it stand"; or, "to stand to it" ^F25; that is, as it should seem, to make the covenant stand firm. The Targum is,

``that it might keep his covenant, and serve him;''

Nebuchadnezzar.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (hdmel wtyrb ta rmvl) "ad custodiendum pactum ejus, ad astandum ei", Montanus; "ad servandum foedus suum, ad consistendumm", Starckius.

Ezekiel 17:14 In-Context

12 Say thou to the house (of Israel) stirring (me) to wrath, Know ye not what these things signify? Say thou, Lo! the king of Babylon cometh into Jerusalem; and he shall take the king and the princes thereof, and he shall lead them to himself into Babylon (and he shall take hold of the king and its princes, or its leaders, and he shall bring them back with himself to Babylon).

13 And he shall take of the seed of the realm, and shall smite with it a bond of peace, and he shall take of it an oath; but also he shall take away the strong men of the land, (And he shall take one of the king's children, and shall strike a covenant, or a treaty, with him, and he shall make him swear an oath; and he shall also take away the strong men of the land,)

14 that it be a meek realm, and be not raised [up], but that it keep the covenant of him, and hold it. (so that it be a humble kingdom, and not be raised up, but that it keep his covenant, and hold it firm.)

15 Which went away from him, and sent messengers into Egypt, that it should give to him horses and much people. Whether he that did these things, shall have prosperity, either shall get health? and whether he that breaketh [a] covenant, shall escape? (Who then went away from him, and sent messengers to Egypt, that they should give him horses and a great many people. Shall he who did these things, have prosperity, or shall get salvation, or deliverance? and shall he who breaketh a covenant, be able to escape?)

16 (As) I live, saith the Lord God, for in the place of the king that made him king (for there in the place of the king who made him king), whose oath he made void, and brake the covenant, which he had with him, (there) in the midst of Babylon he shall die.