Ezekiel 19

A Lament for Israel's Princes

1 "Now, lament for the princes of Israel

2 and say: What was your mother? A lioness! She lay down among the lions; she reared her cubs among the young lions.^[a]

3 She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a young lion. After he learned to tear prey, he devoured people.

4 When the nations heard about him, he was caught in their pit. Then they led him away with hooks to the land of Egypt.^[b]

5 When she saw that she waited [in vain], that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.

6 He prowled among the lions, and he became a young lion. After he learned to tear prey, he devoured people.

7 He devastated^[c] their strongholds and destroyed their cities. The land and everything in it shuddered at the sound of his roaring.

8 Then the nations from the surrounding provinces set out against him. They spread their net over him; he was caught in their pit.

9 They put a wooden yoke on him^[d] with hooks and led him away to the king of Babylon. They brought him into the fortresses so his roar could no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel.

10 Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard,^[e] planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of plentiful waters.

11 It had strong branches, [fit] for the scepters of rulers; its height towered among the clouds.^[f] So it was conspicuous for its height as well as its many branches.

12 But it was uprooted in fury, thrown to the ground, and the east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branches were torn off and dried up; fire consumed them.

13 Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.

14 Fire has gone out from its main branch^[g] and has devoured its fruit, so that it no longer has a strong branch, a scepter for ruling.^[h] This is a lament and should be used as a lament."

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gn 49:9
• [b]. 2 Kg 23:34
• [c]. Tg, Aq; LXX reads fed on; MT reads knew
• [d]. Or put him in a cage
• [e]. Some Hb mss; other Hb mss read blood
• [f]. Or thick foliage
• [g]. Lit from the branch of its parts
• [h]. Gn 49:10-12

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.