Ezekiel 19

CHAPTER 19

A Lament for Israel’s Princes (19:1–14)

1–4 This lament for Israel’s princes (kings) describes the downfall of the house of David. The lament is written as an allegory, in which a lioness (Israel or Judah) has brought up one of her cubs to be a strong lion, to be king (verses 2–3). That king was Jehoahaz, who reigned three months and then was taken captive to Egypt (see 2 Kings 23:31–34).

5–9 Then the lioness took another of her cubs and made him king (verse 5). This king was Jehoiachin,³⁵ who also reigned three months and then was taken captive to Babylon (see 2 Kings 24:8–12,15). He was the last of Judah’s true kings:in prison his roar was heard no longer (verse 9).

10–14 In these last verses, the image changes: instead of being a “lioness,” Israel (Judah) is now a vine (verse 10). This “vine” grew tall and strong (under the reigns of David and Solomon), but the east wind (the Babylonians) made it shrivel (verse 12). The vine was moved (exiled) and planted in the desert—in Babylonia (verse 13). Fire (rebellion) spread from one of its branches (verse 14); that “branch” was Zedekiah, who rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:20). As a result of that rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and ended the monarchy in Judah (2 Kings 25:1–7); there was no branch left fit for a ruler’s scepter.