19:3 She reared one of her cubs; he became a young lion.
He learned to tear prey; he devoured people. 1
19:4 The nations heard about him; he was trapped in their pit.
They brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt. 2
19:5 “‘When she realized that she waited in vain, her hope was lost.
She took another of her cubs 3 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.
1 tn Heb “a man.”
2 sn The description applies to king Jehoahaz (2 Kgs 23:31-34; Jer 22:10-12).
3 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.