Ezekiel 17:16

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.

Ezekiel 17:16 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 17:16

[As] I live, saith the Lord God
This is the form of an oath, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe; the Lord swears, in his wrath, by himself, by his life; this shows how much he resented, what Zedekiah had done, and how sure and certain his ruin was: surely in the place [where] the king [dwelleth] that made him king;
in Babylon, where Nebuchadnezzar dwelt, that made Zedekiah king of Judah; which is mentioned, to point out the ingratitude of that prince to the king of Babylon: whose oath he despised, whose covenant he broke;
the oath of fealty and, allegiance, which Zedekiah took to Nebuchadnezzar; and the covenant entered into between them, by which the former held the kingdom of Judea of the latter: the oath he made light of, though solemn, one made by the God of Israel; and the covenant he broke, though ratified by an oath; in which things were given to him he could not claim, at least possess, but by the courtesy of the conqueror; these sins were displeasing to God: oaths and covenants, though made with conquerors, and with Heathen princes, are to be kept: [even] with him;
that is, with Nebuchadnezzar: in the midst of Babylon he shall die;
when first taken he was had to Riblah, and there his eyes were put out; and after that he was carried to Babylon, and put in prison, and there died, ( Jeremiah 52:9-11 ) .

Ezekiel 17:16 In-Context

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.

17 And not in great host, neither in much people, Pharaoh shall make battle against him, in the casting of [an heap of] earth, and in building of pales, that he slay many persons. (And not with a great army, nor with a great many people, shall Pharaoh make battle against him, in the throwing up of heaps of earth, and in the building of stockades, that he kill many people.)

18 For he despised the oath, that he should break the bond of peace, and lo! he gave his hand; and when he hath done all these things, he shall not escape. (For he had so despised the oath, that he broke the covenant, or the treaty, and lo! he had raised up his hand, or he had sworn an oath to it; and now that he hath done all these things, he shall not escape.)