[[Ezek-17]] Prev: [[Prophecies in Ezek-16]] | Next: [[Prophecies in Ezek-18]] --- ### surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the middle of Babylon he will die. *Type*: prophecy *Summary*: Ezekiel predicts that King Zedekiah of Judah, having rebelled against his suzerain Nebuchadnezzar II, would be captured and die as a prisoner in Babylon. *Historical context*: Following the fall of Jerusalem in 587/586 BC, King Zedekiah was captured by the Babylonian army near Jericho. He was brought to Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, where he witnessed the execution of his sons, was blinded, and then transported in chains to Babylon. He remained in prison there until his death, as recorded in [[2 Kings-25#v7|2 Kings 25:7]] and [[Jer-52#v11|Jeremiah 52:11]]. *Related to*: ### Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company won't help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts, to cut off many persons. *Type*: prophecy *Summary*: The prophecy declares that the military intervention from Egypt, which Zedekiah relied upon for his rebellion, would fail to stop the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. *Historical context*: Historically, Pharaoh Hophra (Apries) did send an Egyptian army to assist Zedekiah. While the Babylonians temporarily lifted the siege of Jerusalem to confront the Egyptians, the Egyptian forces eventually retreated to their own land without achieving a decisive victory. The Babylonians subsequently returned to Jerusalem, resumed the siege, and successfully destroyed the city. *Related to*: ### I will also take some of the lofty top of the cedar, and will plant it. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. I will plant it in the mountain of the height of Israel; and it will produce boughs, and bear fruit, and be a good cedar. Birds of every kind will dwell in the shade of its branches. *Type*: prophecy *Summary*: God promises to restore the Davidic line by taking a 'tender' descendant and establishing a new, flourishing kingdom on Mount Zion that provides shelter for all nations. *Historical context*: This is widely regarded as a Messianic prophecy. While some historical interpretations point to the post-exilic leadership of Zerubbabel (a descendant of the royal line), the majority of theological scholarship, particularly in Christianity, identifies the 'tender twig' as Jesus Christ. His kingdom, the Church, is seen as the fulfillment of the 'great cedar' where people from every nation (symbolized by the birds) find spiritual refuge. *Related to*: ### Tell them, 'Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took its king, and its princes, and brought them to him to Babylon. He took some of the royal offspring, and made a covenant with him.' *Type*: fulfillment *Summary*: The text explains that the first part of the eagle riddle (v3-4) was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar took King Jehoiachin and the Judean nobility into exile in 597 BC and placed Zedekiah on the throne as a vassal. *Historical context*: The first deportation of Jews to Babylon occurred in 597 BC after Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem. He deposed King Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah) and appointed his uncle Mattaniah (renamed Zedekiah) as king, making him swear an oath of loyalty to Babylon. *Related to*: [[Ezek-17#v3|Ezekiel 17:3]]-4 --- #ai_prophecy