Text -- Ezekiel 19:1-6 (NET)

Lament for the Princes of Israel

19:1 “And you, sing a lament for the princes of Israel, 19:2 and say: “‘What a lioness was your mother among the lions! She lay among young lions; she reared her cubs. 19:3 She reared one of her cubs; he became a young lion. He learned to tear prey; he devoured people. 19:4 The nations heard about him; he was trapped in their pit. They brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt. 19:5 “‘When she realized that she waited in vain, her hope was lost. She took another of her cubs and made him a young lion. 19:6 He walked about among the lions; he became a young lion. He learned to tear prey; he devoured people.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Eze 19:1

¹ tn Heb “lift up.”

NET Notes: Eze 19:2

¹ sn Lions probably refer to Judahite royalty and/or nobility. The lioness appears to symbolize the Davidic dynasty, though some see the referent as Hamutal, the wife of Josiah and mother of Jehoahaz and Zedekiah. Gen 49:9 seems to be the background for Judah being compared to lions.

NET Notes: Eze 19:3

¹ tn Heb “a man.”

NET Notes: Eze 19:4

¹ sn The description applies to king Jehoahaz (2 Kgs 23:31-34; Jer 22:10-12).

NET Notes: Eze 19:5

¹ sn The identity of this second lion is unclear; the referent is probably Jehoiakim or Zedekiah. If the lioness is Hamutal, then Zedekiah is the lion described here.