יחזקאל, פרק י״ז, פסוק י״ט

Breaking a political treaty is usually seen merely as a matter of statecraft and international relations. However, when an agreement is sealed with an oath taken in the name of God, violating it transcends political betrayal and becomes a direct offense against God Himself [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Because Zedekiah, the King of Judah, broke such an agreement, God responds with profound severity. God issues a divine oath of His own, swearing to punish the king for his actions [מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. Even though the original treaty was established with the King of Babylon, God treats the betrayal personally. The primary approach among commentators is that because the agreement was sworn in God's name, breaking the treaty is viewed exactly as if the king had broken a covenant with God Himself [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

As a result of this betrayal, a severe punishment is decreed to fall directly upon the king. Commentators offer two complementary ways to understand this consequence. One approach views it conceptually, explaining that God operates measure for measure, returning the weight of the sin squarely upon the sinner's own head [מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. Another perspective takes this consequence literally, pointing out that the focus on the head hints at the actual physical punishment the king ultimately suffered, as the King of Babylon eventually captured him and blinded his eyes [רש״י, רד״ק, חומת אנך].