Ezekiel 19

1 "Moreover, raise a lament for the leaders of Isra'el;

2 say: 'What a mother you had a lioness among lions! She lay down among young lions and reared her cubs.

3 One of her cubs she singled out: he became a young lion, he learned to seize his prey, he became a man-eater.

4 The nations sounded an alarm against him; and he was caught in their pit. With hooks they dragged him off to the land of Egypt.

5 When she saw that she had been thwarted, that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made a young lion of him.

6 He prowled among the lions, grew to be a young lion, learned to seize his prey and became a man-eater.

7 He raped their widows and destroyed their cities; the land and all in it were appalled at the sound of his roaring.

8 The nations set a snare for him from the provinces all around, they spread their net over him, and he was caught in their pit.

9 With hooks they put him in a cage and brought him to the king of Bavel to imprison him in a fortress, so that his roar would be heard no more on the mountains of Isra'el.

10 "'Your mother was like a strong grapevine planted by the water. It was fruitful and luxuriant because of the abundant water.

11 It had strong branches to be used as scepters by rulers; besides having thick foliage, it grew taller and taller, until its height was noticed, with its mass of branches.

12 But it was torn up in fury and flung on the ground. An east wind withered her fruit, her strong branches were broken off; they dried up; and fire consumed the vine.

13 It has been transplanted to the desert, to a dry, thirsty land.

14 Fire has gone out from its own branches, burning up its fruit, so that now it has no strong branch to be a ruler's scepter.'" This lamentation became very well known.

Ezekiel 19 Commentary

Chapter 19

A parable lamenting the ruin of Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim. (1-9) Another describing the desolation of the people. (10-14)

Verses 1-9 Ezekiel is to compare the kingdom of Judah to a lioness. He must compare the kings of Judah to a lion's whelps; they were cruel and oppressive to their own subjects. The righteousness of God is to be acknowledged, when those who have terrified and enslaved others, are themselves terrified and enslaved. When professors of religion form connexions with ungodly persons, their children usually grow up following after the maxims and fashions of a wicked world. Advancement to authority discovers the ambition and selfishness of men's hearts; and those who spend their lives in mischief, generally end them by violence.

Verses 10-14 Jerusalem was a vine, flourishing and fruitful. This vine is now destroyed, though not plucked up by the roots. She has by wickedness made herself like tinder to the sparks of God's wrath, so that her own branches serve as fuel to burn her. Blessed be God, one Branch of the vine here alluded to, is not only become a strong rod for the sceptre of those that rule, but is Himself the true and living Vine. This shall be for a rejoicing to all the chosen people of God throughout all generations.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 19

The subject matter of this chapter is a lamentation for the princes and people of the Jews, on account of what had already befallen them, and what was yet to come, Eze 19:1. The mother of the princes is compared to a lioness, and they to lions; who, one after another, were taken and carried captive, Eze 19:2-9; again, their mother is compared to a vine, and they to branches and rods for sceptres, destroyed by an east wind, and consumed by fire, Eze 19:10-14.