Ezekiel 17:12-14 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Say now to the rebellious house To the house of Judah, which have been and still are rebellious against me, and are now entering into a rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar. This is God's order to his prophet to explain the riddle. Know ye not what these things mean? Will you not apply your minds to understand what God speaks to you? And that whether he directs his speech to you in plain words, or delivers his mind in riddles and parables? Behold, the king of Babylon is come Or rather, did come, or came to Jerusalem Namely, some time before the delivery of this prophecy: and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof Namely, Jeconiah and all his princes and officers: see 2 Kings 24:12. And hath led them with him to Babylon Judging them unfit to be trusted any more with any office or power in their own country. And hath taken of the king's seed Hath taken from among the royal seed Mattaniah, Jehoiakim's brother, and advanced him to the throne in Jerusalem, 2 Kings 24:17; and made a covenant with him A solemn agreement, on terms acceded to and approved by Mattaniah; and hath taken an oath of him An oath of fealty: when Nebuchadnezzar caused Mattaniah to enter into this covenant and oath, he changed his name to Zedekiah, which word signifies, the justice of God, to express that God would avenge the crime of this restored captive, if he should break the covenant into which he had entered, and perjure himself: see note on 2 Kings 24:17. He hath also taken the mighty of the land Namely, as hostages for Zedekiah's performance of the covenant agreed on. That the kingdom might be base Or rather, humble; that it might be kept in subjection and obedience. Zedekiah being made only a tributary king, consequently was not in as honourable a condition as his predecessors had been in; but yet the keeping of his covenant was the only means, under present circumstances, to support himself and his government.