And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel.
He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him promise before God to be loyal. But he became stubborn and hardened his heart, refusing to turn back to the LORD God of Israel.
The writer is describing how King Zedekiah broke his sacred promise to Nebuchadnezzar and stubbornly refused to return to God.
📚 Historical Context
This verse refers to King Zedekiah of Judah around 586 BC, during the final years before Jerusalem's destruction. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had installed Zedekiah as a puppet king and made him swear an oath of loyalty before God. Despite this sacred promise and the prophetic warnings he received, Zedekiah chose to rebel against both Babylon and God, leading to the fall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile.
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