Commentators highlight King Zedekiah's tragic flaw: he feared his officials more than he feared God. Matthew Henry notes a spiritual principle at play: 'The less people fear God, the more they fear other people.' Zedekiah believed Jeremiah's warning but was so paralyzed by what his counselors might do that he chose secrecy and inaction over obedience to God, demonstrating how fear of human opinion can lead to spiritual failure.