Why Nebuchadnezzar Was Shamed for Humiliating King Zedekiah

Another interpretation (of Proverbs 22:29): "He shall stand before kings." This is the Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written, "But as for you, stand here with Me" (Deuteronomy 5:28). "He shall not stand before obscure men" — this is Pharaoh, [as it is written:] "Rise up early in the morning" (Exodus 9:13). All the wicked become corrupted during their lifetimes. You find in the case of Zedekiah, king of Judah, that all the kings were subjugated to Nebuchadnezzar. What is written about him? "(And) [And also] the beasts of the field have I given him to serve him" (Jeremiah 27:6). Zedekiah went up to bring a gift. Nebuchadnezzar said: Dine with me at noon. And he made a feast — and a Babylonian feast is not like a feast of the Land of Israel. He set before him meat that had been singed. He saw Nebuchadnezzar eating, with his spittle dripping down upon his beard. And Zedekiah was looking at him and was astonished, and said: To this one the whole world is subjugated! He dined with him. What did he do? After he had dined, he took Zedekiah and made him swear. He said to him: That you shall not go to your land and leave me. But he departed and came to the Land of Israel. He began to scorn him, and he denied that oath. And Ezekiel cried out against him, "who scorned [his oath]" (Ezekiel 17:16). The kings who were reclining beside him heard, and they sent and said to him: Zedekiah sits and mocks you. And from where do we know that they sent and said this to him? Rabbi Samuel said: It is written, "Send a lamb (kar) to the ruler of the land" (Isaiah 16:1). What is kar? It is like a man who says to his fellow: Recognize (hakkeir) for whom he is ruling the land. And from where do we know that he had sworn to him? As it is said, "And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God" (II Chronicles 36:13). What did he do? Immediately he sent and brought him, and he was feeding him barley, and standing him up and shaming him with disgrace. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: So you shame him! By your life, you shall not depart from the world until all creatures mock you, as it is said, "And they shall drive you from among men" (Daniel 4:29). And not only that, but just as you shamed him, so you shall be shamed before all creatures. What is written? "And the violence done to the beasts shall terrify them" (Habakkuk 2:17). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: that he became a mate to every beast and wild animal. And what caused him this shame? It was only because he shamed Zedekiah.