Ezekiel 19:2-3

19:2 and say:

“‘What a lioness was your mother among the lions!

She lay among young lions; ¹  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. ² 

Ezekiel 19:5-6

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.

Ezekiel 41:19

41:19 a human face toward the palm tree on one side and a lion’s face toward the palm tree on the other side. They were carved on the whole temple all around;

Ezekiel 32:2

32:2 “Son of man, sing a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him:

“‘You were like a lion ⁴  among the nations,

but you are a monster in the seas;

you thrash about in your streams,

stir up the water with your feet,

and muddy your ⁵  streams.

Ezekiel 38:13

38:13 Sheba and Dedan and the traders of Tarshish with all its young warriors ⁶  will say to you, “Have you come to loot? Have you assembled your armies to plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to haul away a great amount of spoils?”’

[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.

[19:3]  ² tn Heb “a man.”

[19:5]  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.

[32:2]  ⁴ tn The lion was a figure of royalty (Ezek 19:1-9).

[32:2]  ⁵ tc The Hebrew reads “their streams”; the LXX reads “your streams.”

[38:13]  ⁵ tn Heb “young lions.”