Ezekiel 17:19 kjv
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.
Ezekiel 17:19 nkjv
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "As I live, surely My oath which he despised, and My covenant which he broke, I will recompense on his own head.
Ezekiel 17:19 niv
"?'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, I will repay him for despising my oath and breaking my covenant.
Ezekiel 17:19 esv
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: As I live, surely it is my oath that he despised, and my covenant that he broke. I will return it upon his head.
Ezekiel 17:19 nlt
"So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, I will punish him for breaking my covenant and disregarding the solemn oath he made in my name.
Ezekiel 17 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 14:28-30 | "...as I live, declares the Lord, what you have said... I will do to you." | God's oath for certain judgment upon disobedience |
| Deut 32:40-42 | "For I lift My hand to heaven and swear, As I live forever..." | God's oath for vengeance and retribution |
| Ps 89:34-35 | "I will not violate My covenant or alter the word that went out from My lips. Once for all, I have sworn by My holiness..." | God's covenant and oath are unchangeable |
| Heb 6:13-18 | "...God swore by Himself... He confirmed it with an oath..." | God's oath guarantees the certainty of His promise |
| 2 Chr 36:13 | "He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God..." | Zedekiah's specific rebellion and oath-breaking |
| Lev 26:15 | "...if you spurn My statutes...breaking My covenant..." | General consequence for breaking God's covenant |
| Deut 29:20-21, 25-27 | "...all the curses of the covenant...they abandoned the covenant..." | Curses upon covenant breakers |
| Jer 34:18-20 | "...the men who transgressed My covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant..." | Judgment for breaching the covenant with God |
| Josh 7:11-12 | "Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant... Therefore the people cannot stand..." | Covenant breach bringing corporate punishment |
| Ez 17:15 | "...he rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt... Will he escape?" | The immediate act of rebellion mentioned in context |
| Prov 20:25 | "It is a snare to say rashly, 'It is holy,' and to reflect only after making vows." | Caution regarding rash vows |
| Ecc 5:4-5 | "...it is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay." | Sanctity and necessity of fulfilling vows to God |
| Matt 5:33-37 | "...You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn." | Jesus' teaching on fulfilling sworn obligations |
| Judg 9:56-57 | "Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech...on them was returned all the evil..." | Retribution falls upon the wrongdoer's own head |
| Ps 7:16 | "His mischief returns upon his own head; and his violence comes down on his own scalp." | Evil actions returning to the perpetrator |
| Ps 94:23 | "He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness..." | God's just retribution upon the wicked |
| Obad 1:15 | "...As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return on your own head." | Universal principle of proportional retribution |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men..." | God's wrath against human rebellion and sin |
| Rom 2:6 | "He will render to each one according to his deeds:" | God's righteous judgment according to one's actions |
| 1 Sam 2:30 | "...those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed." | Consequence for despising God |
| Ez 18:20 | "...The soul who sins shall die..." | Principle of individual accountability |
Ezekiel 17 verses
Ezekiel 17 19 Meaning
Ezekiel 17:19 delivers the Lord God's solemn declaration, affirmed by His very existence, that He will execute certain judgment upon King Zedekiah of Judah. The King's rebellion, expressed through despising the oath and breaking the covenant, is interpreted by God as a direct offense against Himself. Though the covenant was politically with Babylon, its sanctity arose from being sworn in the name of the Lord. Consequently, divine retribution is guaranteed to fall upon Zedekiah personally and irrevocably.
Ezekiel 17 19 Context
Ezekiel chapter 17 is framed as a complex riddle and parable. It depicts the rise and fall of King Zedekiah of Judah using the imagery of two great eagles, a cedar tree, and a vine. The first great eagle represents Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who had deported Judah's prominent citizens (the top of the cedar tree) to Babylon and established Zedekiah (a sprout from the cedar) as a puppet king over the remaining vine (Judah), binding him with a solemn oath of loyalty sworn in the Lord's name. However, Zedekiah swiftly broke this covenant by sending envoys to Egypt, seeking military support from the second great eagle, Pharaoh, to cast off Babylonian rule. This rebellion, though political, was far more gravely an act of infidelity against the Lord God because Zedekiah had taken an oath in His name (2 Chr 36:13). Ezekiel 17:19 explicitly states that this act of despising God's oath and breaking His covenant would incur direct and unavoidable divine judgment upon Zedekiah, leading to the final destruction of Jerusalem and the Exile.
Ezekiel 17 19 Word analysis
- "Therefore": This transitional word indicates that what follows is the divinely appointed consequence of Zedekiah's actions detailed in the preceding verses, particularly his oath-breaking and rebellion.
- "thus says the Lord God": (כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהִוִה, koh amar Adonai YHWH). This is the standard prophetic formula establishing the divine origin and authoritative nature of the message. It signifies that the ensuing declaration is a direct word from God Himself, not a human interpretation or opinion.
- "As I live": (חַי אָ֫נִי, chai ani). This is an extremely solemn divine oath, where God swears by His own eternal existence. It is the strongest possible affirmation, underscoring the absolute certainty, unchangeable nature, and profound solemnity of the judgment that He is about to pronounce. There is no higher authority by which God can swear.
- "surely": This adverb further intensifies the certainty of the impending judgment, leaving no doubt about its inevitability and unwavering nature.
- "My oath that he despised": (אֲלָתִי אֲשֶׁר בָּזָה, alati asher bazah).
- "My oath" (alati): Though Zedekiah made an oath to Nebuchadnezzar, it was explicitly "by God" (2 Chr 36:13). God therefore claims ownership of the oath, elevating it from a geopolitical agreement to a sacred, divine covenant. Breaking it is an insult to His name.
- "despised" (bazah): This word implies not merely neglect or an accidental oversight, but a deliberate act of treating something sacred with contempt, scorn, and utter disrespect. It highlights Zedekiah's insolence towards divine authority.
- "and My covenant that he broke": (וּבְרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר הֵפֵר, uveriti asher hefer).
- "My covenant" (uveriti): Parallel to "My oath," this refers to the solemn agreement between Zedekiah and Babylon, established under divine oversight. God considers a breach of this agreement as a violation against Him.
- "broke" (hefer): This means to annul, violate, or make void. It points to Zedekiah's active and willful nullification of the terms of the covenant.
- "I will bring down on his own head": This is a powerful Hebrew idiom signifying a direct and inevitable retribution. It emphasizes that the consequences and deserved punishment for his actions will fall specifically and exclusively upon the person who committed the offense, reinforcing the principle of divine justice and individual accountability.
Ezekiel 17 19 Bonus section
- The phrase "As I live" functions as a self-maledictory oath by God Himself, implying that He would cease to exist if His word were not true. This underlines the inviolable nature of divine pronouncements.
- This passage powerfully articulates that a king, even when operating within a politically challenging environment, remains accountable to God for oaths sworn in His name, regardless of the party with whom the oath is made.
- Zedekiah's despising of the oath indicates not merely forgetting or ignorance, but an intentional disrespect and a deliberate valuing of immediate gain over covenant integrity.
- The concept of actions returning "on one's own head" is a recurring biblical motif emphasizing retributive justice and personal accountability, echoing "what you sow, that you will also reap."
Ezekiel 17 19 Commentary
Ezekiel 17:19 serves as a theological punchline to the allegorical riddle, removing any ambiguity about the severe implications of Zedekiah's actions. It highlights God's absolute commitment to His own word and the sacredness of any oath or covenant invoked by His name. Zedekiah's error was not simply a miscalculated political move; it was a profound spiritual transgression marked by contempt (despising) and willful violation (breaking) of what God considered His own solemn agreement. This verse powerfully reveals that God actively oversees human affairs, including international treaties, especially when His name is used to consecrate them. The declaration "As I live" transforms the human political context into a divinely judged moral failure. The final phrase, "I will bring down on his own head," embodies the unwavering justice of God, affirming that personal sin against Him will inescapably result in direct and proportional retribution from His hand. It underscores that relying on human strength (Egypt) instead of covenant faithfulness incurs divine wrath.