Ezekiel 17:17

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.)

Ezekiel 17:17 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 17:17

Neither shall Pharaoh, with [his] mighty army and great
company,
make for him in the war
The king of Egypt, to whom Zedekiah applied for horses and men to help him; though he should come with a great army, and a large multitude of people, yet should be of no use to Zedekiah, nor do any hurt to Nebuchadnezzar, or hinder him from taking Jerusalem: by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons;
that is, when Nebuchadnezzar should besiege Jerusalem, and raise mounts, and build fortifications, in order to take the city, and destroy its inhabitants; as he did, ( Jeremiah 52:4 ) ; the Egyptian army should not be able to hinder him going on with the siege, and taking the city; for though the siege was broke up for a time, upon the approach of Pharaoh's army, yet Nebuchadnezzar, having conquered the Egyptians, returned again to the siege of Jerusalem, and took it; see ( Jeremiah 37:5-10 ) .

Ezekiel 17:17 In-Context

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.)

19 Therefore the Lord God saith these things, (As) I live, for I shall set on his head the oath which he despised, and the bond of peace which he brake (and the covenant which he broke).