Yechezkel 19:3

3 And she brought up one of her cubs; it became a strong lion, and it learned to tear teref (prey); it devoured adam.

Yechezkel 19:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 19:3

And she brought up one of her whelps
Or sons, as the Targum: or, "made him to ascend" ^F20, as the word signifies; to mount the throne; this was Jehoahaz, whom the people of the land took and anointed him, and made him king in the stead of Josiah his father, ( 2 Kings 23:30 ) ; it become a young lion;
that is, a king, as the same Targum explains it, and a tyrannical and arbitrary one: and it learned to catch the prey;
being instructed by evil counsellors, he soon learned to oppress his subjects, to get their substance from them, and do many evil things, as he is said to do, ( 2 Kings 23:32 ) ; it devoured men;
or a man, Adam, the people of Israel, so called, ( Ezekiel 34:31 ) ; as the Jews frequently observe; it ate up and destroyed their liberties, privileges, and property.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 (letw) "et ascendere fecit", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version.

Yechezkel 19:3 In-Context

1 9 Moreover take thou up a kinah (lament) for the nasi’im of Yisroel,

2 And say, What is immecha, a lioness? She lay down among arayot (lions), rearing her cubs among young lions.

3 And she brought up one of her cubs; it became a strong lion, and it learned to tear teref (prey); it devoured adam.

4 The Goyim also heard of him; he was trapped in their shachat (pit), and they brought him with hooks unto Eretz Mitzrayim.

5 Now when she saw that in vain she had waited, and her tikvah (hope) was lost, then she took another of her cubs, and made him a strong lion.