Ezekiel 19

A Lament Over Israel’s Princes

1 “Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel

2 and say: “ ‘What a lioness was your mother among the lions! She lay down among them and reared her cubs.

3 She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a strong lion. He learned to tear the prey and he became a man-eater.

4 The nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit. They led him with hooks to the land of Egypt.

5 “ ‘When she saw her hope unfulfilled, her expectation gone, she took another of her cubs and made him a strong lion.

6 He prowled among the lions, for he was now a strong lion. He learned to tear the prey and he became a man-eater.

7 He broke down^[a] their strongholds and devastated their towns. The land and all who were in it were terrified by his roaring.

8 Then the nations came against him, those from regions round about. They spread their net for him, and he was trapped in their pit.

9 With hooks they pulled him into a cage and brought him to the king of Babylon. They put him in prison, so his roar was heard no longer on the mountains of Israel.

10 “ ‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard^[b]planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of abundant water.

11 Its branches were strong, fit for a ruler’s scepter. It towered high above the thick foliage, conspicuous for its height and for its many branches.

12 But it was uprooted in fury and thrown to the ground. The east wind made it shrivel, it was stripped of its fruit; its strong branches withered and fire consumed them.

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

14 Fire spread from one of its main^[c] branches and consumed its fruit. No strong branch is left on it fit for a ruler’s scepter.’ “This is a lament and is to be used as a lament.”

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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.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Cross References 29

1. ver 14; Jeremiah 7:29; Jeremiah 9:10,20; Ezekiel 26:17; Ezekiel 27:2,32; Ezekiel 28:12; Ezekiel 32:2,16; Amos 5:1
2. S 2 Kings 24:6
3. S Numbers 23:24
4. S Genesis 49:9
5. S Job 41:2
6. 2 Kings 23:33-34; 2 Chronicles 36:4; S Lamentations 4:20
7. S Genesis 49:9
8. 2 Kings 23:34
9. 2 Kings 24:9; 2 Chronicles 36:9
10. Ezekiel 29:10; Ezekiel 30:12
11. 2 Kings 24:2
12. S Ezekiel 12:13
13. 2 Kings 24:11; S Lamentations 4:20
14. S 2 Kings 19:28
15. S 2 Kings 25:7; S 2 Chronicles 36:6
16. Zechariah 11:3
17. S 2 Kings 24:15
18. S Genesis 49:22
19. S Jeremiah 17:8
20. Psalms 80:8-11
21. Ezekiel 31:3; Daniel 4:11
22. S Deuteronomy 29:28; Ezekiel 17:10
23. S Genesis 41:6
24. S Isaiah 27:11; S Ezekiel 17:24; Ezekiel 28:17; Hosea 13:15
25. Ezekiel 20:35; Hosea 2:14
26. Hosea 2:3
27. Ezekiel 20:47
28. S Ezekiel 15:4
29. S ver 1

Footnotes 3

[a]. Targum (see Septuagint); Hebrew "He knew"
[b]. Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts "your blood"
[c]. Or "from under its"

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible