Ezekiel 19

A Song of Sadness About Israel's Princes

1 "Sing a song of sadness about Israel's princes.

2 Say to Israel, " 'You were like a mother lion to your princes. She lay down among the young lions. She brought up her cubs.

3 One of them was Jehoahaz. He became a strong lion. He learned to tear apart what he caught. And he ate men up.

4 The nations heard about him. They trapped him in their pit. They put hooks in his face. And they led him away to Egypt.

5 " 'The mother lion looked and waited. But all of her hope was gone. So she got another one of her cubs. She made him into a strong lion.

6 He prowled with the lions. He became very strong. He learned to tear apart what he caught. And he ate men up.

7 He broke down their forts. He completely destroyed their towns. The land and all those who were in it were terrified when he roared.

8 Then nations came against him. They came from all around him. They spread out their net to catch him. He was trapped in their pit.

9 They used hooks to pull him into a cage. They brought him to the king of Babylonia. They put him in prison. So his roar was not heard anymore on the mountains of Israel.

10 " 'Israel, you were like a vine in a vineyard. It was planted near water. It had a lot of fruit and many branches. There was plenty of water.

11 Its branches were strong. Each was good enough to be made into a ruler's rod. The vine grew high above all of the leaves. It stood out because it was so tall and had so many branches.

12 But Nebuchadnezzar became angry. He pulled it up by its roots. He threw it to the ground. The east wind dried it up. Its fruit was stripped off. Its strong branches dried up. And fire destroyed them.

13 Now it is planted in the Babylonian desert. It is in a dry and thirsty land.

14 One of its main branches was Zedekiah. Fire spread from it and burned up its fruit. None of its branches is good enough to be made into a ruler's rod.' "That is a song of sadness. And that is how it should be used."

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.