John Gill Commentary Ezekiel 17:14

"that the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand." — Ezekiel 17:14 (ASV)

That the kingdom might be base Low or humble; its king but a viceroy, a tributary to the king of Babylon; and the subjects obliged to a tax, payable to him; and this is intended by the vine being of "low stature", (Ezekiel 17:6);

that it might not lift up itself above other neighbouring kingdoms and states; and particularly that it might not rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, but be kept in a dependence on him, and subjection to him:

[but] that by keeping of his covenant it might stand continue a kingdom, and Zedekiah king of it; so that it was for their good that such a covenant was made, and it was their interest to keep it; for, had it not been made, it would have ceased to have been a kingdom, and would have become a province of the Babylonian monarchy, and have been put under the government of one of Nebuchadnezzar's princes or captains; and, should they break it, would endanger the ruin of their state, as the event showed.

In the Hebrew text it is, "to keep his covenant, to make it stand"; or, "to stand to it"^F25; that is, as it should seem, to make the covenant stand firm. The Targum is, ``that it might keep his covenant, and serve him;'' Nebuchadnezzar.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F25: (hdmel wtyrb ta rmvl) "ad custodiendum pactum ejus, ad astandum ei", Montanus; "ad servandum foedus suum, ad consistendumm", Starckius.