Ezekiel 19:1-6

1 Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

2 And say: Why did thy mother the lioness lie down among the lions, and bring up her whelps in the midst of young lions?

3 And she brought out one of her whelps, and he became a lion: and he learned to catch the prey, and to devour men.

4 And the nations heard of him, and took him, but not without receiving wounds: and they brought him in chains into the land of Egypt.

5 But she seeing herself weakened, and that her hope was lost, took one of her young lions, and set him up for a lion.

6 And he went up and down among the lions, and became a lion: and he learned to catch the prey, and to devour men.

Ezekiel 19:1-6 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.