יחזקאל, פרק י״ז, פסוק ט״ז

A severe divine oath seals the fate of a rebellious leader. God issues a clear and binding oath regarding the tragic and inevitable downfall of King Zedekiah, who betrayed the King of Babylon after being placed on the throne by him. Through this declaration, God ensures that the rebel will not escape the consequences of his actions [רד ק ומצודת דוד].

The core of the offense lies in the king's deep disrespect for his commitments. He completely disregarded the oath he was made to swear and violated its terms [מצודת דוד]. Because of this profound betrayal, Nebuchadnezzar will march against him in war [מלבי״ם].

The punishment is absolute, dictating that the rebellious king will die in the very land of the ruler who originally crowned him. The narrative emphasizes this fate by repeating that he will die in Babylon alongside the Babylonian king. This repetition occurs simply because of the length of the preceding explanation, serving as a common stylistic choice in Biblical writing to keep the central idea clear [מצודת דוד]. Ultimately, this death in exile represents much more than the end of one man's life. It symbolizes the total and permanent uprooting of Zedekiah's royal line. His descendants will never hold power again, as his sons were killed and the entire nation was forced into exile [מצודת דוד].