Ezechiele 17:14

14 perché il regno fosse tenuto basso senza potersi innalzare, e quegli osservasse il patto fermato con lui, per poter sussistere.

Ezechiele 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.

Ezechiele 17:14 In-Context

12 "Di’ dunque a questa casa ribelle: Non sapete voi che cosa voglian dire queste cose? Di’ loro: Ecco, il re di Babilonia è venuto a Gerusalemme, ne ha preso il re ed i capi, e li ha menati con sé a Babilonia.

13 Poi ha preso uno del sangue reale, ha fermato un patto con lui, e gli ha fatto prestar giuramento; e ha preso pure gli uomini potenti del paese,

14 perché il regno fosse tenuto basso senza potersi innalzare, e quegli osservasse il patto fermato con lui, per poter sussistere.

15 Ma il nuovo re s’è ribellato contro di lui, e ha mandato i suoi ambasciatori in Egitto perché gli fossero dati cavalli e gran gente. Colui che fa tali cose potrà prosperare? Scamperà? Ha rotto il patto e scamperebbe?

16 Com’è vero ch’io vivo, dice il Signore, l’Eterno, nella residenza stessa di quel re che l’avea fatto re, e verso il quale non ha tenuto il giuramento fatto né osservato il patto concluso vicino a lui, in mezzo a Babilonia, egli morrà: