דברי הימים ב, פרק ל״ו, פסוק י״ג

King Zedekiah’s ultimate downfall is marked not merely by a political uprising against a foreign power, but by a profound moral and spiritual collapse. The roots of this failure lie in the aftermath of the previous king's exile. When Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, exiled King Jehoiachin, he selected Zedekiah from the royal family and established a covenant with him [רש״י]. To ensure Zedekiah would remain a loyal servant and subject, the Babylonian king made him swear an oath of allegiance by God [מצודת דוד]. Consequently, when Zedekiah later rebelled, it was far more than a simple political revolt; it was a severe violation of a sacred oath sworn in God's name [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This broken promise reflects a deep internal disconnect and a stubborn refusal to return to the proper path. Zedekiah's behavior is characterized by extreme stubbornness, vividly compared to having a stiffened neck. It was as though his neck had become so rigid that he was completely unable to turn his face back toward God [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alongside this unyielding posture, he actively hardened his heart to avoid repenting [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Yet, this outward display of defiance and rigidity masked a deeply fragile character. Despite projecting an image of stubbornness, Zedekiah was actually a weak individual who lacked a true internal backbone. Rather than acting with firm conviction, he was paralyzed by indecision, constantly wavering between his fear of the people's reaction and his fear of God [ביאור שטיינזלץ].