Ezekiel 17:15

But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadours into Egypt, that they might giue him horses and much people: shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall hee breake the Couenant, and bee deliuered? Ezekiel 17:15 (KJV)

Ezekiel 17:15 is part of a larger allegory delivered by the prophet Ezekiel during the Babylonian exile. The parable is directed specifically at King Zedekiah of Judah and uses vivid symbolic imagery to convey God’s warning.

In the allegory the first eagle represents Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who seized King Jehoiachin and carried him into captivity. The second eagle stands for Egypt, the nation to which Zedekiah sent ambassadors seeking horses and many troops in order to rebel against Babylon’s dominance.

Zedekiah’s act of sending envoys to Egypt violated the covenant he had sworn to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar’s authority. By seeking a foreign military alliance, he turned away from the divine instruction given through the prophet and placed his trust in worldly power rather than in God.

God’s rhetorical questions in this verse—“Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?”—underscore the futility of Zedekiah’s rebellion. The questions imply that no prosperity, escape, or deliverance will result from such treachery.

The passage teaches several spiritual lessons. First, it stresses the importance of trusting in God’s covenant and promises rather than relying on human alliances. Second, it warns of the severe consequences that follow disobedience and rebellion against divine commands. Third, it calls believers to seek God’s guidance and help, recognizing that true deliverance comes only from Him.

Historically, Zedekiah’s rebellion led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of Judah’s monarchy, confirming the prophetic warning. The outcome serves as a sobering reminder that faithfulness to God’s covenant is essential for the nation’s and the individual’s preservation.