Topical Bible: Alliances: Zedekiah and Pharaoh

◄ Alliances: Zedekiah and Pharaoh ►

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Historical Context:

Zedekiah, originally named Mattaniah, was the last king of Judah, reigning from 597 to 586 BC. He was appointed by Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon, after the latter had exiled Jehoiachin, Zedekiah's nephew, to Babylon. Zedekiah's reign was marked by political instability and pressure from surrounding empires, particularly Babylon and Egypt.

Zedekiah's Alliance with Pharaoh:

Zedekiah's alliance with Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt is a significant event in the biblical narrative, illustrating the political dynamics and the spiritual implications of seeking foreign alliances contrary to divine counsel. The alliance is primarily documented in the books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

Biblical References:

1. Jeremiah's Warning:
The prophet Jeremiah consistently warned Zedekiah against forming alliances with Egypt, urging him instead to submit to Babylon as a means of preserving Judah. Jeremiah 37:5-7 records, "Pharaoh’s army had marched out of Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem. Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet: 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to help you, will go back to its own land of Egypt.'"

2. Ezekiel's Prophecy:
Ezekiel also prophesied against the alliance, highlighting its futility and the consequences of relying on Egypt. Ezekiel 17:15-17 states, "But he rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt to obtain horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and still escape? As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls erected to destroy many lives."

Theological Implications:

The alliance between Zedekiah and Pharaoh Hophra is often viewed as an act of disobedience and lack of faith in God's sovereignty. The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel both emphasized that Judah's security lay not in political alliances but in obedience to God's commands. Zedekiah's reliance on Egypt is seen as a rejection of divine guidance, leading to the eventual downfall of Jerusalem.

Consequences:

The alliance with Egypt proved disastrous for Zedekiah and Judah. When Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem, the Egyptian forces were unable to provide the necessary support. As prophesied, the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and exiled many of its inhabitants. Zedekiah himself was captured, blinded, and taken to Babylon, marking the end of the Davidic reign in Jerusalem until the return from exile.

Lessons for Today:

The account of Zedekiah and Pharaoh serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of relying on human strength and wisdom over divine direction. It underscores the importance of faithfulness to God's word and the consequences of political and spiritual alliances that contradict His will.

Nave's Topical Index

Jeremiah 37:1-8
And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
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Ezekiel 17:15-17
But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that does such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?
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Library

Sennacherib (705-681 BC )
... cover with a covering (form alliances), but not ... not arrive in time to save Zedekiah:
Sennacherib razed ... over the stereotyped organisation of Pharaoh's army: the ...
/.../chapter isennacherib 705-681 b c.htm

Egypt
... Shishak had no need of Israelitish alliances. ... Hophra or Apries had made a vain attempt
to rescue Zedekiah. ... an Asiatic empire was over, and the Pharaoh had more ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter v egypt.htm

Approaching Doom
... Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah"all these Jewish kings were in ... of freeing themselves
from entangling alliances with Egypt ... of the same cup""Pharaoh king of ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 35 approaching doom.htm

The Greater Prophets.
... to the sin of seeking heathen alliances (57:9 ... only through the eleven years of
Zedekiah's reign, but ... great eagles are Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh; the highest ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxii the greater prophets.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... Psammetichus I. and Zedekiah"Apries and the revolt of Tyre ... for all idolatrous worship
and for all foreign alliances. ... of Egypt talk loudly of Pharaoh and of ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... the Peris of our fairy tales, mingled familiarly with mankind before the time of
the prophet, and contracted with them fruitful alliances, but Zoroaster broke ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... By a decree of Pharaoh, a new country had been assigned to the remnants of ... These
chiefs were respectively free to make alliances, or to take the field on their ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... in the reign of Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:22-24), Jehu son of Hananiah under Baasha
(1 Kings 16:1-4, 7, 12, 13), Micaiah son of Imla, and Zedekiah under Ahab (1 ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm