Ezekiel 17:19

19 " 'The LORD and King says, "Zedekiah hated the oath he took in my name. He broke the treaty. So I will pay him back. And that is just as sure as I am alive.

Ezekiel 17:19 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 17:19

Therefore thus saith the Lord God, [as] I live
A repetition of the oath of God as before, expressing his indignation at the king of Judah, and the certainty of his ruin: surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath
broken;
the Lord calls it his oath, because it was made and taken in his name, ( 2 Chronicles 36:13 ) ; and his covenant, because it was agreeable to his will, and was made in his sight, and he was solemnly appealed to at the making of it; all which were an aggravation of Zedekiah's sin in violating them, and made his punishment the heavier: even it will I recompense upon his own head;
he shall personally bear the punishment due to such crimes. The Targum is,

``I will revenge his way upon his head.''

Jarchi thinks this refers to the putting out of his eyes; and Kimchi takes notice of the same sense.

Ezekiel 17:19 In-Context

17 " 'So Nebuchadnezzar will build ramps against the walls of Jerusalem. He will set up war machines to destroy many lives. Pharaoh will not be able to help Zedekiah during the war. The huge and mighty army of Egypt will not be of any help.

18 " 'Zedekiah hated Nebuchadnezzar's oath and broke his treaty. He had made a firm promise to keep it. But he broke it anyway. So he will not escape.

19 " 'The LORD and King says, "Zedekiah hated the oath he took in my name. He broke the treaty. So I will pay him back. And that is just as sure as I am alive.

20 I will spread out my net to catch him. He will be caught in my trap. I will bring him to Babylon. I will judge him there because he was not faithful to me.

21 " ' "All of Zedekiah's troops will be killed with swords when they try to run away. Those who are left alive will be scattered to the winds. Then you will know that I have spoken. I am the Lord."