Ezekiel 19:5-8

Jehoiachin carried captive to Babylon

The second young lion is Jehoiachin. The intermediate prince Jehoiakim could not be included in an elegy, because he died in peace. It is the princes of Israel whom foreign nations captured that are lamented. What is touched upon is more the humiliation and sorrow of Israel, the mother lioness, in her young lions being captured, than the fate of the two persons. The elegy is a national one, cf. on Ezekiel 19:1.

5. And she saw that she had waited her hope was lost;

And she took another of her whelps she made him a young lion.

6. And he walked among the lions he grew a young lion,

And he learned to catch the prey he devoured men.

7. And he broke down their palaces he wasted their cities;

And the land and its fulness was desolate at the noise of his roaring.

8. Then the nations set themselves against him on every side from the countries.

And they spread their net over him he was taken in their pit.

5. that she had waited If "she" be subject some such sense as deceived, "disappointed" (Ew.) would be suitable, though to reach this sense by adding "in vain" to waited is hardly permissible. The subject might be "her hope," and waited might mean tarried, delayed. There might be reference to hope of the return of Jehoahaz, which appears to have been cherished, as Jeremiah takes occasion altogether to cut it off (Jeremiah 22:10-12). Corn. proposes "acted foolishly," but the word suggested is too strong (Numbers 12:11; Isaiah 19:13; Jeremiah 5:4; Jeremiah 50:36).

6. Jehoiachin ascended the throne on the death of his father at the age of 18. He reigned only 3 months, when Nebuchadnezzar carried him away to Babylon, 2 Kings 24:8 seq.

7. knew their desolate palaces R.V. knew their palaces. The word is usually "widows" as marg., but "palaces," Isaiah 13:22. Neither translation gives any sense. Better: he broke down their palaces, (change of rfor d); or cf. Jeremiah 2:15-16 (marg. fed on), a passage very similar. If "widows" be read the verb would need to be altered to "multiplied," ch. Ezekiel 12:25, an important passage (Jeremiah 15:8). Corn. (partly Hitz.): and he lay down in his den, he wasted the forests. This keeps up the figure, but requires serious alteration of the reading. Jeremiah 2:15 shews that "young lions" may burn cities, and feed on the crown of the head.

8. in their pit A well-known method of capturing dangerous beasts. The object to "set" may be voice or shout, Ezekiel 19:4; Jeremiah 7:8.