so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to lift itself up, surviving only by keeping his covenant.
Parallel translations
- WEB that the kingdom might be brought low, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand.
- KJV That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.
- NKJV that the kingdom might be brought low and not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand.
- NASB so that the kingdom would be humbled, not exalting itself, but keeping his covenant so that it might continue.
- NLT so Israel would not become strong again and revolt. Only by keeping her treaty with Babylon could Israel survive.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The kingdom was kept low so that it could survive only by keeping the covenant. Humble faithfulness was the path to stability.
Overview
God explains that Judah's reduced status was the divinely permitted condition for its continued existence. By keeping the covenant with Babylon, the realm could stand; by breaking it, it would fall. The verse frames submission to God-ordained discipline as the way of life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ezek 29:14I will restore Egypt from captivity and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin. There they will be a lowly kingdom.
- Neh 9:36–37So here we are today as slaves in the land You gave our fathers to enjoy its fruit and goodness—here we are as slaves!
- Jer 27:12–17And to Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke the same message: “Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and live!
- 1 Sam 2:30Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.
- Lam 5:10Our skin is as hot as an oven with fever from our hunger.
- 1 Sam 2:7The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.
- Ezek 17:6It sprouted and became a spreading vine, low in height, with branches turned toward him; yet its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and yielded branches and sent out shoots.
- Matt 22:17–21So tell us what You think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
- Jer 38:17Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you indeed surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive.
- Deut 28:43The foreigner living among you will rise higher and higher above you, while you sink down lower and lower.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 17:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.