Ezekiel 19:1

“Moreover, take thou up a lamentation, &c.] These words are directed to the Prophet Ezekiel, to compose a doleful ditty, a mournful song, such as was used at funerals; and by it represent the lamentable state of the nation of the Jews and their governors, in order to affect them with it, with what was past, and present, and yet to come: for the princes of Israel; or, “concerning them”f278; the princes meant are Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah, who were kings, though called princes, these words being synonymous; or, if so called by way of diminution, the reason might be, because they were tributary, either to the king of Egypt, or king of Babylon.”

“ELEGY OVER THE FALL OF DAVID'S HOUSE. (Eze 19:1-14) princes of Israel--that is, Judah, whose "princes" alone were recognized by prophecy; those of the ten tribes were, in respect to the theocracy, usurpers.”

“Princes of Israel - Israel is the whole nation over which the king of Judah was the rightful sovereign. Compare Ezekiel 2:3; Ezekiel 3:1, Ezekiel 3:7. return to 'Top of Page'”

“For the princes - Jehoahaz, Jehoiachim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. Ezekiel 19:2”

“19:1-14 An ancient Near Eastern funeral song had a distinctive rhythm and style and usually extolled the virtues of the person who had died, contrasting past glory with the current loss. In this case, those being lamented were not yet dead, and the dirge contained a catalogue of their faults. This dirge profoundly communicated the certainty of their fate and the reasons for it. • The lion (19:2-9) and the vine (19:10-14) were familiar images for the princes of Israel, the royal dynasty of Judah.”

“take: Eze 19:14, Eze 2:10, Eze 26:17, Eze 27:2, Eze 32:16, Eze 32:18; Jer 9:1, Jer 9:10, Jer 9:17, Jer 9:18, Jer 13:17, Jer 13:18 the princes: Kg2 23:29, Kg2 23:30, Kg2 23:34, Kg2 24:6, Kg2 24:12, Kg2 25:5-7; Ch2 35:25, Ch2 36:3, Ch2 36:6, Ch2 36:10; Jer 22:10-12, Jer 22:18, Jer 22:19, Jer 22:28, Jer 22:30, Jer 24:1, Jer 24:8, Jer 52:10, Jer 52:11, Jer 52:25-27; Lam 4:20, Lam 5:12 Ezekiel 19:2”

“Capture and Exile of the Princes Eze 19:1. And do thou raise a lamentation for the princes of Israel, Eze 19:2. And say, Why did thy mother, a lioness, lie down among lionesses; bring up her whelps among young lions? Eze 19:3. And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and he learned to take prey; he devoured man. Eze 19:4. And nations heard of him; he was caught in their pit, and they brought him with nose-rings into the land of Egypt. Eze 19:5. And when she saw that her hope was exhausted, overthrown, she took one of her whelps, made it a young lion. Eze 19:6. And he walked among lionesses, he became a young lion, and learned to take prey. He devoured man. Eze 19:7. He…”