Ezekiel 19:1-14 - G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

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Bible Comments

The last section in the prophet's revelation of the righteousness of reprobation consists of his lament over the fallen princes of Judah. He first referred to Jehoahaz, the son and successor of Josiah, who was carried captive to Egypt. His mother, Judah, the prophet described as a lioness couched among lions, and nourishing her whelps. One of them was ensnared, and brought to Egypt. The mother disappointed, took another of her whelps.

The reference here is undoubtedly to Jehoiachin, who, after a brief reign in which he won certain victories, was carried away captive to Babylon.

The last moment in the lament has to do with the failure of Zedekiah and the ruin wrought by him. The mother is now likened to a vine which once was fruitful, and out of which grew strong rods as rulers. Her present condition is then described in contrast. Plucked up in fury, her strong rulers ceased, and out of her rods went forth a fire that destroyed. That is to say, Judah's final destruction had come through those having rule over her, and the reference undoubtedly was to Zedekiah.

Related Commentaries of Ezekiel 19:1

Ezekiel 19:1-14

1 Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

2 And say, What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions.

3 And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.

4 The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.

5 Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion.

6 And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men.

7 And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring.

8 Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit.

9 And they put him in ward in chains,a and brought him to the king of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

10 Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.

11 And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.

12 But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire consumed them.

13 And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground.

14 And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.