Ezekiel 19:8-14

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 19:8-14 Meaning and Commentary

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.